Mac News: Notebooks

MacBook Madness! Rave Reviews, Hacked Macs, 3G Thirst
May 08, 2009

Lots of minor topics peppered the Apple-focused blogosphere this week, but two items stood taller than most. First off, Consumer Reports gave MacBooks of all sizes -- despite their high prices -- phenomenal ratings in almost every category in its tests of laptop computers. Secondly, built-in support for 3G wireless data services seems to be coming to MacBooks sometime soon.

Apple Accelerates: New Guts, New Shells, Lower Prices?
May 01, 2009

While Apple CEO Steve Jobs might be resting at -- or working from -- home, that doesn't appear to have stopped the company from pushing forward. New reports from the Apple-focused blogosphere suggest that Apple is hiring new microprocessor engineers and architects, considering carbon fiber for new device casings, and possibly even working out plans to offer new, lower-priced, entry-level Macs.

A Week of Memory, Malware, MacBooks and Marble
March 27, 2009

It's been a relatively quiet week for the Apple-focused blogosphere. Apple did announce the dates for its Worldwide Developers Conference, which is set for June 8-12 in San Francisco. WWDC just so happens to the be the venue in which Apple is widely expected to release its next version of Mac OS X -- "Snow Leopard" -- which may be prettier than expected.

Apple Chatter: A Rumor, a Release and a Rare Sneak Peak
March 13, 2009

Three items of note burned particularly brightly this week in the Apple blogosphere this week: a crescendo in rumors of an Apple netbook/tablet/something coming, and an upcoming sneak peak of iPhone 3.0 software, and the release of a brand-new iPod shuffle. The most recent iteration of the diminutive iPod shuffle was already almost too small for its buttons, so Apple got rid of them altogether.

Apple's Debut of New Mac Models Light on Fanfare
March 04, 2009

Most of the hubbub out of Apple the past few days has focused on the company's refreshing of its desktop Mac line of personal computers. However, fans of Apple notebooks also got some good news -- the company injected the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro with faster processing speed, more memory and longer battery life.

Watching the Ticker for AAPL, Eying Stores for Sales, Scanning the Horizon for Verizon
February 27, 2009

Apple's annual shareholder meeting dominated the Apple blogosphere this week, despite being a rather lackluster hour. However, the beta release of Safari 4 has shown some staying power. Plus, MacBook Pros seem to be selling well. Also, might we have a Verizon iPhone in our future?

Will the Recession Give Birth to a Mac Netbook?
February 25, 2009

Not even Apple -- purveyor of the mighty iPhone, iPod and Mac trifecta -- will escape the recession unscathed. That's what Pacific Crest Securities equity analyst Andy Hargreaves said Monday as he slashed his 12-month price target on Apple's stock from $150 per share to $120 per share. Hargreaves also reduced his earnings estimate on Apple in light of the downturn.

iWork, Nvidia, Intel, Chargers: Can't We All Just Get Compatible?
February 20, 2009

There were a lot of different topics on the minds of Apple bloggers this week -- tidbits like Apple dropping its 20-inch Cinema display, some new tear-down photos of the 17-inch unibody MacBook Pro, and the squabble between Apple and the Electronic Frontier Foundation over jailbreaking the iPhone.

Mac Bloggers Talk Big Telecom, Big Blue and Small Changes to iTunes
January 30, 2009

Speculation over an AT&T 3G-enabled MacBook fanned some flames in the Apple-minded blogosphere this week, as did Apple's and IBM's settlement over engineer Mark Papermaster. Also, most everyone seems pleased that Apple is finally letting iTunes customers upgrade their musical libraries one song at a time rather than all-at-once.

The MacBook Interface Dilemma: So Many Ports, So Little Space
January 28, 2009

Look on the side of any MacBook or PC laptop, and you'll see a Swiss-cheese-like array of holes. They're all interface ports for plugs of various shapes and sizes. Mini DisplayPort. HDMI. 8P8C. FireWire 400. FireWire 800. DVI. VGA. WUXGA. And good old USB 2.0. They're all there for connecting peripherals -- mice, monitors, hard drives, MP3 players, cell phones, and even weird little things like flexible gooseneck lights.

Mac Bloggers Hail White MacBooks, Salute Apple TVs, Chuck iPhone Nanos
January 23, 2009

There's a lot of news in the Apple-focused blogosphere this week, and picking the most interesting tidbits is quite a chore. In any event, Apple quietly upgraded its polycarbonate entry-level white MacBook, announced record profits and nixed the notion that Apple might introduce an "iPhone nano" anytime soon. Plus, the Apple TV "hobby" picked up some steam.

Mac Bloggers Murmur Over Macworld Machinations
January 09, 2009

This should come as no surprise to any iPhone-toting, Apple-watching, Mac-usin' reader: this week's blogs were primarily aimed straight at Macworld and the last Apple keynote the company will deliver. More specifically, the hottest coverage focused on Phil Schiller's keynote address, the new unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro, and DRM-free iTunes tracks.

Apple's Last Macworld: No 'Whoa!'
January 07, 2009

With Apple CEO Steve Jobs sitting out this year's Macworld event, speculation turned to what Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, might announce during Apple's keynote address. Would Apple unveil something huge, like an "iPhone nano"? Or would Apple slide out of Macworld with a whimper?

How to Build a Mac Home Network
December 29, 2008

Most home networks are cobbled together without a lot of forethought about which devices are used to create it. For most, the decision is basically to use whatever their service provider shipped in a cardboard box. Whether they're going for wireless or wired, homeowners often haven't thought through their options.

A Dream Home for the True Blue Apple Fan
December 23, 2008

Way back in 1950, science fiction giant Ray Bradbury wrote a short story, "There Will Come Soft Rains," about a smart house that did just about everything for its resident family -- including cooking breakfast and keeping track of the bills. Unfortunately, all members of that family, along with all inhabitants of the town, were obliterated by a nuclear explosion. The house, though, kept right on going.

Analyst: November Mac Sales Off Nearly 40 Percent
December 16, 2008

Apple is having a rough week. On Sunday, Goldman Sachs downgraded its stock to "neutral" from "buy," citing a poor selling environment. In fact, Apple's desktop sales dropped 38 percent in November, according to research firm NPD Group. Non-Apple desktop sales dropped just 15 percent, it said.