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AnandTech Checks Out Penryn MacBook Pro Internals
The New MacBook (Pros): The Fine Print
Mac Again, Thanks to Microsoft
The 2008 MacBook Pro Value Equation
Mozilla Freezes Firefox 3.0 Beta 4
Add a Right-Alt Key to your MacBook with KeyRemap4MacBook
MacBook Pro Performance (February 2008)
Apple's Tuesday Ritual is Amazing
The SSD Failure Debate
The Really Important News In The New MacBook Pros
First Impressions Of The Penryn MacBook Pro
Intel Roadmaps Outline Centrino 2 Platform This June
Four Reasons Macs Are Getting More Love
Yahoo Upgrades Home Page, Search To Battle Google
End of Format War Will Drive Blu-Ray DVD Players/Recorders to Highest Volume Internet-Enabled Consumer Electronics Devices by 2012, According to Multimedia Intelligence
The Mac Night Owl: Is it Easy to Tire of Your Mac?
Gene Steinberg meets Adam Engst of TidBITS, Steve "Mr. Gadget" Kruschen, Timothy Dick, co-founder of VOIPo and Denis Motova this week on The Tech Night Owl LIVE
AnandTech Checks Out Penryn MacBook Pro Internals
AnandTech says:
Apple [has] introduced its first MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks based on Intel's 45nm mobile Penryn CPU. We've already looked at the mobile Penryn CPU and discovered that despite offering very little performance boost, its contribution to improving battery life was significant. We're hard at work on seeing how mobile Penryn stacks up in the MacBook Pro but we couldn't resist a look at its internals before then.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=3240
The New MacBook (Pros): The Fine Print
TUAW's Mat Lu reports:
We finally got the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros we've all been waiting for and now it time to dig into the fine print a little bit. As we noted earlier the new machines are shipping without the $19 Apple remote, but there are also some other subtle changes worth noting....
You can check it out at:
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/27/the-new-macbook-pros-the-fine-print/
Mac Again, Thanks to Microsoft
Low End Mac's Andrew Fishkin says:
I'm not a Microsoft hater, an Apple fanboy, or a platform zealot. When one tool works better for my needs than another tool, I use the better one. If that tool no longer does what I need it to, I go back to the hardware store and find another.
So it is with Macs and PCs: I use what works for the task at hand and really don't care which I am using so long as it stays out of my way and lets me work (or play).
I own computers belonging to both platforms, use both each and every day at work, and (with a few exceptions) have the software I need for each platform. Where I run into difficulty isn't in choosing, but more specifically, in choosing which platform to use as my primary computer. Simply put, my primary computer is the one on which I have my email archive, all of my work, and, in the multimedia age, my full music collection.
My primary computer has alternated many times between a Mac and a PC, and as of the beginning of February, it is once again a Mac.
Strangely, it was a Microsoft application that made the switch back from Windows to Mac compelling.
To read more, click here.
http://lowendmac.com/fishkin/08af/mac-again-thanks-microsoft.html
The 2008 MacBook Pro Value Equation
Low End Mac's Dan Knight reports:
The new MacBook Pro models... aren't a big step forward from last year's models. Clock speeds, which ranged from 2.2 GHz to 2.6 GHz, now range from 2.4 GHz to 2.6 GHz, but the 2.5 GHz and 2.6 GHz Penryn CPUs do have larger caches than their predecessors. (The 2.4 GHz one, though, has a smaller cache.)
We're not expecting much of an improvement in processing power, although Intel has improved the SSE4 vector engine in the new CPU. The changes lie elsewhere this time: a multitouch trackpad and bigger hard drives are the primary improvements. Also, the Apple Remote is no longer included with the new models.
Perhaps the best thing about the new models is what they've done to prices of last year's MacBook Pro line.....
You can check it out at:
http://lowendmac.com/musings/08mm/macbook-pro-value-equation.html
Mozilla Freezes Firefox 3.0 Beta 4
Computerworld's Gregg Keizer reports:
For the second time in the past four weeks, Mozilla Corp. has announced a "code freeze" for a beta version of Firefox 3.0 - this time, Beta 4 - as it prepares another public release of the open-source browser.
The freeze was announced late Tuesday. Earlier in the day, the company's chief engineer hinted that the number of outstanding bugs at that point - 66 that could block the release of Firefox 3.0 - meant a fifth beta will likely be needed.
For the full report click here.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142914-pg,1/article.html
In the meantime you can read Charles W. Moore's full review of Firefox 3beta3 here.
Add a Right-Alt Key to your MacBook with KeyRemap4MacBook
LifeHacker says:
The new MacBook Pro models released Tuesday brought new processor power, more hard drive space, and a little-heralded but kinda nifty feature: The addition of a right Alt key (and dropping of the mini Enter key), giving keyboard enthusiasts access to "third-level" characters and a wider array of shortcuts. For those with MacBook models older than 48 hours, free remapping utility KeyRemap4MacBook can help you reassign that tiny Enter or other under-utilized keys for similar shortcut happiness.
To read more, click here.
MacBook Pro Performance (February 2008)
Primate Labs reports:
Yesterday Apple released updated MacBooks and MacBook Pros both of which feature (among other things) new processors. While I don't have Geekbench results for the new MacBooks, I wanted to compare Geekbench results for some of the new MacBook Pros against results for older MacBook Pros....
At first glance the results seems counter-intuitive; shouldn't the new MacBook Pro @ 2.4GHz be faster than the old MacBook Pro @ 2.4GHz? Isn't the Penryn better than the Merom? It turns out the answer is, "not necessarily".
For the full report visit here:
http://www.primatelabs.ca/blog/2008/02/macbook-pro-performance-february-2008/
Apple's Tuesday Ritual is Amazing
MacObserver's John Martellaro says:
Ever since Macworld, Apple has released something new every Tuesday. The Apple online store going offline each Tuesday morning has become a well known and most welcome ritual. When Steve Jobs said in his Macworld keynote that Apple still had 50 weeks to go in 2008, perhaps he wasn't kidding.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2008/02/27.8.shtml
The SSD Failure Debate
The Apple Core's Jason D. O'Grady reports:
To listen to some people talk about it, Solid State Drives (SSDs) – like the 64GM model from Samsung that you can get in the new MacBook Air - are doomed to fail.
SSD is defined as "A disk drive that uses memory chips instead of rotating platters for data storage."
By now you should be able to recite the benefits of SSD by rote: lighter, longer MTBF, more shock resistant, lower operating temperature, faster boot times, yadda, yadda.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=1342
The Really Important News In The New MacBook Pros
Jupiter Research's Michael Gartenberg says:
While some folks weren't blown away by the new computers Apple introduced yesterday, there's something quite important about the new stuff. Apple has added support for multi-touch to the MacBook Pro line, following up on the feature first seen in the MacBook Air. Apple seems pretty serious about this and has filed patents for even more advanced features. This is really important and underscores the changing nature in user experiences that consumers are likely to see over the next 12-18 months.....
To read more, click here.
First Impressions Of The Penryn MacBook Pro
CrunchGear's Peter Ha reports:
Having spent the last few hours reinstalling apps and customizing to my specific liking, I've noticed that using the multi-touch on the new Penryn MBP isn't what I imagine it to be. The trackpad just isn't big enough and I really wish Apple would have put the larger one, like the MBA, on the MBP. It's not horrible or unusable by any means, but you'd figure with such a large palm rest area that a larger trackpad would make sense. Of course, this is a miniscule gripe and everything else seems to be working fine, but I figured I'd chime in and let you all know.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/02/27/first-impressions-of-the-penryn-macbook-pro/
Intel Roadmaps Outline Centrino 2 Platform This June
DailyTech's Brandon Hill & Kristopher Kubicki report:
Lenovo's X300 and Apple's MacBook Air may get some heavy hitting competition from Intel's ultra-low power processors
Intel's new Centrino 2 branding will launch with the "Montevina" platform
New branding, 5.5 Watt 1.2 GHz processors, DisplayPort, two-fold increases in graphics power await notebook enthusiasts this June.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=10875
Four Reasons Macs Are Getting More Love
CIO.com Diann Daniel reports:
Macs have always inspired a fierce loyalty in their users. Now, thanks to Windows compatibility, an improved OS, great ads and better tech support, more users are feeling the love for shiny eye-candy tech and simple user interfaces.
....Here are four reasons more users are switching and some of the consequences of that move:
1. PC Compatibility
2. An Improved OS
3. Mac vs. PC Ads
4. Support
For the full report visit here:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/mac/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=20559
Yahoo Upgrades Home Page, Search To Battle Google
Bloomberg News reports:
Yahoo said it is working with newspapers and publishers to bring more popular information onto Yahoo's site and in search results....
Yahoo, after getting trounced by Google in search, is trying to lure Web users and advertisers by providing content that's more relevant to consumers' interests.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.siliconvalley.com/latestheadlines/ci_8376245
End of Format War Will Drive Blu-Ray DVD Players/Recorders to Highest Volume Internet-Enabled Consumer Electronics Devices by 2012, According to Multimedia Intelligence
[ Press Release ]
MultiMedia Intelligence ( http://www.MultiMediaIntelligence.com ) reports today that Blu-Ray DVD players and recorders will represent the largest segment of Internet Protocol (IP) enabled consumer electronics. The connected DVD equipment segment will reach nearly 50 million units by 2012. This fact is particularly impressive as these Blu-Ray device volumes are in addition to video game consoles, where Blu-Ray DVD is integrated into Sony's PS3.
Adoption of IP interfaces is progressing across a variety of consumer electronics devices, including video game consoles, TVs, DVD equipment, audio equipment, as well as cable, telco, and satellite set-top boxes. Total annual shipments of IP-Enabled Consumer Electronics devices reached 64 million units in 2007. Currently video game consoles represent the largest segment. However, next generation Blu-Ray DVD equipment is already integrating Internet connectivity to enhance interactivity and online applications.
"The end of the format war between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD promises to accelerate shipment volume of Blu-Ray DVD equipment," according to Mark Kirstein, President of MultiMedia Intelligence. "As a result, Blu-Ray DVD equipment could become the largest volume segment of IP-Enabled Consumer devices even sooner than 2012."
MultiMedia Intelligence's new research also found:
• Adoption of IP interfaces is growing steadily, but not explosively. The entire market is still challenged to address ease-of-use, interoperability and numerous business model issues.
• Beyond the nearly standard Cat 5 Ethernet interface, Wi-Fi (802.11x) will represent the interface of choice for nearly 40% of IP-Enabled DVD players. Coax and Powerline interfaces will see lower adoption.
• The semiconductor revenue for the IP interfaces across all Consumer Electronics devices covered will exceed $2 billion by 2012.
"Internet Protocol (IP)-Enabled Consumer Electronics: Are we there yet?" analyzes the service providers, equipment vendors, content service offerings and technology in the multimedia-networked home. The report also looks at in-home connectivity including analysis and forecasts of Ethernet, Powerline, coax, and Wi-Fi integrated into consumer electronics. Other forecasts include worldwide subscribers for broadband, VoIP, cable TV, satellite TV, and IPTV. The associated set-top boxes, adoption of network-interfaces by device type, as well as the middleware and interface semiconductors are also included. Device segments include TVs, DVD players and recorders, DMAs, video game consoles, media servers, DVRs and set-top boxes.
For more information, visit:
http://www.MultiMediaIntelligence.com
The Mac Night Owl: Is it Easy to Tire of Your Mac?
There are some people who have Mac hardware collections that almost remind you of mini museums. I recall visiting a client some years back, a plumbing contractor, who was utterly immersed in vintage Macs. When I checked out his storage garage, it's perfectly true that most of the storage shelves contained the expected pipes, washers and other accouterments of that business.
Here's the link to the story:
http://macnightowl.com/2008/02/27/is-it-easy-to-tire-of-your-mac/
Notes: You can also access our RSS feed, available at:
http://www.macnightowl.com/rss
Or our Atom feed at:
http://www.macnightowl.com/atom
Gene Steinberg meets Adam Engst of TidBITS, Steve "Mr. Gadget" Kruschen, Timothy Dick, co-founder of VOIPo and Denis Motova this week on The Tech Night Owl LIVE
During this week's all-star episode, the Night Owl explores Apple's newest notebooks and the sad fate of the venerable email application, Eudora, with Adam Engst, Editor/Publisher of TidBITS.
You'll also hear about a new Internet phone service from Timothy Dick, co-founder of VOIPo. In addition, HostICan's Denis Motova will hold forth again about the ins and outs of blogging.
For another look at the hot new Mac hardware and software, you'll also hear from Steve "Mr. Gadget" Kruschen.
You can tune into the broadcast Thursday night from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Pacific, 9:00 to 11:00 PM Eastern, at:
http://www.techbroadcasting.com.
Our new chat room will also be open for listener participation. An archive of the show will be available for downloading and listening at your convenience within four hours after the original broadcast.
You can also access our show's Podcast feed, now available at:
http://www.techbroadcasting.com/nightowl.xml
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