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Apple America's Most Admired Company 2008
MacBook Performance (March 2008) Benchmarked
Steve Wozniak's Frustrations With iPhone, Apple TV and MacBook Air
Woz Waxes Warily On MacBook Air
Axiotron ModBook Review (Verdict: A Touchscreen MacBook Done Right)
Apple Called - Happy Outcome To Macbook Pro Issue
From the Lab: Penryn powers MacBook Pro gains
When Is 2.1 GHz Slower than 2.0 GHz? When It's the New MacBook
Apple's Time Capsule: is its HDD really 'server grade'?
Mac Switch Revisited: An enterprise PC shop's move to Apple isn't as easy as expected
New iMacs, Apple's first with Blu Ray?
Air outsells MacBook, iMac, Pro; sold out in Boston, NY, SF, says report
Name This App Contest
Desktop Linux: Hack-That-Desktop-OS Contest
Samsung Pushes into Printer, Laptop Markets
Microsoft Redefines the Laptop Mouse
Intel Announces Intel Atom Brand for New Family of Low-Power Processors
eWEEK: Microsoft Expands Its Online Services
Apple America's Most Admired Company 2008
Apple sits atop Fortume's "Top 20 Most Admired Companies" survey for 2008, ranking 1st overall as well as 1st in the "Computrs" category.
Fortune notes:
It is a tribute to its CEO that Apple, which ten years ago seemed headed for the slag heap, is No. 1 on this list. Steve Jobs has always had a knack for weaving magic out of silicon and software. But who knew he could build a $24 billion (in sales) company on the strength of a portable jukebox and a computer with a single-digit market share?
For the full report click here.
MacBook Performance (March 2008) Benchmarked
Primate Labs Blog reports:
When I wrote about the performance of Apple's recently-released MacBook Pros last week, I wanted to write about the MacBooks, too but didn't have results for the differnet MacBook models. Well, now I do, so here's a Geekbench performance comparison of the latest MacBooks against the previous generation of MacBooks....
Despite having a slightly faster processor, the smaller L2 cache of the Penryn processors means the base MacBook (Early 2008) is slower than the base MacBook (Late 2007). If you're considering buying a base MacBook, you might want to shop around and see if you can snag an old one rather than a new one.
Of course, the high-end MacBook (Early 2008) is faster than the high-end MacBook (Late 2007); it seems the increase in processor frequency is enough to overcome the smaller L2 cache in this case.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.primatelabs.ca/blog/2008/03/macbook-performance-march-2008/
Steve Wozniak's Frustrations With iPhone, Apple TV and MacBook Air
APCMag's Dan Warne has posted a long and interesting interview with Steve Wozniak
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says he wishes Apple hadn't released a 2G version of the iPhone; that the Apple TV is frustrating to use, and that the MacBook Air won't be a hit.
Wozniak was in Sydney this morning to deliver the keynote speech at a conference focused on Australian broadband. But his commentary during a press Q&A session ranged far beyond the topics of broadband and telecommunications, with Woz lobbing numerous constructive critiques about Apple's latest products back over the pond to Cupertino.
For the full report click here.
Woz Waxes Warily On MacBook Air
Ars Technica's Chris Foresman says:
Steve Wozniak is in Australia this week and gave a keynote speech for an Australian Communication Industry Association broadband conference. The press took advantage of a Q&A session to get the Woz's opinions on recent Apple hardware.....
Regarding the MacBook Air, Woz is still pretty torn. At first, he was put off by its lack of features, but after some use - "for some reason, the way its keyboard is, I can type faster"- Woz is finding ways to squeeze the machine into his workflow. Despite his warming to its geek-chic cachet, he's still not convinced it's ready for the masses.....
For the full report click here.
Axiotron ModBook Review (Verdict: A Touchscreen MacBook Done Right)
Gizmodo reports:
It was exactly a year from the time Axiotron first debuted their touchscreen MacBook at Macworld 2007 to the time we got the first hands-on of it at Macworld 2008, and that year of development time seems to have done the company some good. Not only is this ModBook the touchscreen Mac Apple fans have been looking for, it's got all the components of a MacBook, which means it's not a low-powered, stripped down, gimped version (MacBook Air) that sacrifices performance for the tablet pen sensitivity. And for that, we're thankful.
For the full review click here.
Apple Called - Happy Outcome To Macbook Pro Issue
AppleGazette's Michael says:
On Thursday I wrote about some problems I'm having with my Macbook Pro. I received lots of great feedback in the comments and via email.
After trying several solutions, I still couldn't get the computer running at a decent speed, or recording audio properly. So, taking kyre's advice of "the squeeky wheel gets the oil!", I fired off an email to steve(at)apple(dot)com. I explained in that email what was going on, and how it could be documented that I was having problems here at the site and on the podcast, long before the 3 weeks since my warranty ran out. I also mentioned how unhappy I was that Apple was charging $900 to fix something that other companies could do for under $200.
On Friday afternoon I received a phone call from Apple.....
To read more, click here.
From the Lab: Penryn powers MacBook Pro gains
Macworld's James Galbraith reports:
We've put the new MacBook Pros through their paces and found that the changes add up to noticeable performance gains over the last-generation of Apple's high-end laptop. More significant, the revamped MacBook Pro lineup is decidedly faster than the Core Duo-powered models that debuted two years ago.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.macworld.com/article/132330/2008/03/macbookpro_bench.html
When Is 2.1 GHz Slower than 2.0 GHz? When It's the New MacBook
Low End Mac's Dan Knight says:
Remember the Megahertz Myth? It held the widespread belief that a computer with a faster processor clock speed was more powerful than one with a slower CPU.
Apple demolished that with the PowerPC G3 and G4 processors, and with the transition from Pentium 4 to Core, Intel demonstrated the same thing. A CPU with a slower clock speed can be more powerful than one that runs at a higher MHz rating.
Pay attention, because Apple just took a step backward with its entry-level MacBook and 15" MacBook Pro models. The previous version of these computers included a 4 MB on-chip level 2 (L2) cache; the replacements introduced last month use the new Penryn CPU, and the slower version only has a 3 MB L2 cache.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://lowendmac.com/musings/08mm/new-macbook-slower.html
Apple's Time Capsule: is its HDD really 'server grade'?
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
Apple's Time Capsule, which went on sale last week, may not be quite what the Mac maker maintains it is, in the storage department at least.
Time Capsule is Apple's 802.11n Wi-Fi router with an integrated 500GB or 1TB "server-grade hard disk drive", to use Apple's words.
But when one buyer took his TimeCapsule apart, he found his machine contained a Hitachi Deskstar 1TB, a hard drive designed not for servers but for desktop computers....
For the full report visit here:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/03/03/apple_timecapsule_hdd/
What Makes Apple Golden
Fortune's Betsy Morris says:
The mass market is supposed to be dead, but you would never know it from Apple. In February the iTunes Store became the second-largest music retailer in the U.S., right behind Wal-Mart. The iPod is to music players what Kleenex is to tissue or Xerox is to copiers. Almost everything Apple makes transcends gender, geography, age, and race. An Apple Store is a demographic melting pot, with computer games for kids and a Genius Bar for their parents and so much cool stuff to touch that it's a magnet for teens and twentysomethings....
the company that ranks as the new No. 1 among America's Most Admired Companies has become a roaring financial success.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/29/news/companies/amac_apple.fortune/index.htm
Mac Switch Revisited: An enterprise PC shop's move to Apple isn't as easy as expected
Computerworld's Julia King reports:
Hindsight, as they say, is always 20/20.
Less than five months after going public with plans to immediately start replacing its Windows-based PCs with Macs, Auto Warehousing Co. was forced to push back the project by more than a month. That was last December. The reason was not a lack of money, manpower or executive support. Rather, what stymied the project were protests from workers and objections from customers who perceived the technology switch as unnecessarily costly.
"I didn't see this coming at all," says Dale Frantz, CIO of the Tacoma, Wash.-based company. "We never before had any of the workforce question our technological initiatives." But with the Mac project, "there was a perception that the equipment was much more expensive than traditional Windows PCs and that we were purchasing Lamborghini-level equipment with the company's profits," he says.
For the full report click here.
New iMacs, Apple's first with Blu Ray?
9to5Mac's Cleve Nettles says:
Apple's next generation iMacs might not just be Penryn updates as speculated earlier. If they are one of the first computers to recieve the Intel Eaglelake motherboard (which support Penryns), they could also have some Blu Ray configurations as well....
For the full report visit here:
http://www.9to5mac.com/imac-blu-ray-2008-45674657
Air outsells MacBook, iMac, Pro; sold out in Boston, NY, SF, says report
Apple 2.0's Philip Elmer-DeWitt says:
A month after it went of sale, demand for the MacBook Air is surprisingly strong, according to Ars Technica, which surveyed stores across the U.S. over the weekend and found supplies of the $1,799 notebook computer ($3,098 for the solid-state drive version) thin or nonexistent.
For the full report click here.
Name This App Contest
namethisapp.com says:
We've developed a great new application. Trouble is, we can't decide on a name for it! This is where you come in: help us Name this App!
Peruse this page to become familiar with some of the features of the application. Once you've done this, submit the survey on the left and we'll provide a valuable discount coupon good toward the purchase of the product when it ships.
Our application, code-named "Dialectic", is a brand new, incredibly versatile tool that unites your Mac, data, and phones - mobile, landline, & VoIP - enabling you to be more productive - and have fun doing it!
Dialing Has Never Been So Much Fun
For more information, visit:
http://namethisapp.com/
Desktop Linux: Hack-That-Desktop-OS Contest
"So, what's the most secure desktop operating system of all? Well, we'll get at least a hint from an upcoming bout pitting some top hackers against Mac OS X, Windows Vista and Ubuntu."
To read more, go to: http://desktoplinux.com/news/NS7077740070.html?sp=0&kc=DTDLX030308LINX
Samsung Pushes into Printer, Laptop Markets
IDG News Service's Martyn Williams reports:
Samsung Electronics hopes it can extend its leading position in the computer monitor market into the printer and laptop PC sectors this year, a senior executive said Monday at the Cebit trade show in Germany.
"Our mission is to become a top-tier IT company with a leading position in both the business and consumer markets," said Jongwoo Park, president of Samsung's digital media business, at a news conference. "We are already the global leader in monitors and now plan to extend that leadership to printing and mobile computing."
For the full report visit here:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,143034-c,tradeshows/article.html
Microsoft Redefines the Laptop Mouse
Waikato Times' Chris Gardner reports:
Much smoother than the built-in mouse, the wireless Mobile Memory Mouse 8000 will quickly become the pointer of choice for those on the move.
As well as the conventional scroll wheel and left and right buttons the 8000 has a button that activates a magnifying pane, which means there's really no restriction to operating the machine from a distance. I found the signal so strong that I could reach the computer from the adjoining room.....
All three mice are Windows XP/Windows Vista compatible, and can also be used on Apple Macs.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.cio-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=00300073IQ5C
Intel Announces Intel Atom Brand for New Family of Low-Power Processors
[ Press Release ]
The Intel Atom processor will be the name for a new family of low-power processors designed specifically for mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and a new class of simple and affordable Internet-centric computers arriving later this year. Together, these new market segments represent a significant new opportunity to grow the overall market for Intel silicon, using the Intel Atom processor as the foundation. The company also announced the Intel Centrino Atom processor technology brand for MID platforms, consisting of multiple chips that enable the best Internet experience in a pocketable device.
The Intel Atom processor is based on an entirely new microarchitecture designed specifically for small devices and low power, while maintaining the Intel Core 2 Duo instruction set compatibility consumers are accustomed to when using a standard PC and the Internet. The design also includes support for multiple threads for better performance and increased system responsiveness. All of this on a chip that measures less than 25 mm?, making it Intel's smallest and lowest power processor yet.(1) Up to 11 Intel Atom processor die -- the tiny slivers of silicon packed with 47 million transistors each -- would fit in an area the size of an American penny.
These new chips, previously codenamed Silverthorne and Diamondville, will be manufactured on Intel's industry-leading 45nm process with hi-k metal gate technology. The chips have a thermal design power (TDP) specification in 0.6-2.5 watt range and scale to 1.8GHz speeds depending on customer need. By comparison, today's mainstream mobile Core 2 Duo processors have a TDP in the 35-watt range.
"This is our smallest processor built with the world's smallest transistors," said Intel Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Sean Maloney. "This small wonder is a fundamental new shift in design, small yet powerful enough to enable a big Internet experience on these new devices. We believe it will unleash new innovation across the industry."
With personal computing increasingly going mobile and the computer industry rapidly developing new classes of products to connect the next billion people to the Internet, the Intel Atom processor offers customers the unique ability to innovate around the new low-power design. In addition to the MID opportunity, Intel believes the demand for a new category of low-cost, Internet-centric mobile computing devices dubbed "netbooks" and basic Internet-centric desktop PCs dubbed "nettops," will grow substantially over the next several years. The Intel Atom processor is perfectly suited to meet these new market segments.
Intel said the Intel Atom processor also has potential for future revenue opportunities in consumer electronic devices, embedded applications and thin clients.
Intel Centrino Atom Processor Technology
The Intel Centrino Atom processor technology brand represents Intel's best technology for MIDs. Formerly codenamed "Menlow," Intel Centrino Atom processor technology includes the Intel Atom processor, a low-power companion chip with integrated graphics, a wireless radio, and thinner and lighter designs. Together, these components are designed to enable the best mobile computing and Internet experience on these new devices. Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live.
Additional information about Intel is available at:
http://www.intel.com/Atom
eWEEK: Playing Fast and Loose with Printer Specs
Here are some specs to be wary of and others you should ask about, even though manufacturers tend to skip them.
To read more, click here.
eWEEK: Microsoft Expands Its Online Services
The driving force behind the move is for Microsoft to compete with Google, which has been making inroads with its hosted e-mail offering, an ex-official says.
To read more, click here.
The Mac Night Owl: Those Computers Look Nice, But Can You Tell Them Apart?
The other day I was watching the talking heads on a certain cable TV news network, when I noticed that their notebooks all had Apple logos on them. Funny thing, the lids seemed to be dark-colored, almost black, which doesn't mean they were using ancient Macs. More than likely, they refinished the case in a fit of interior decorating, or maybe the set designers don't like basic aluminum.
To read more, click here.
http://macnightowl.com/2008/03/03/those-computers-look-nice-but-can-you-tell-them-apart/
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