Technology News: Notebooks

Mac OS X May Split With Atom
November 03, 2009

An update from Apple for its OS X 10.6 operating system could cause a lot of grief for tinkerers who have installed Snow Leopard on low-cost netbook computers. The update may cause Snow Leopard to no longer run on Intel's Atom processors. Withdrawing Atom support would prevent device hackers from creating so-called hackintosh netbooks.

The Juggernaut's New iMac
October 21, 2009

Apple launched three new products Tuesday just hours after disclosing details on the most successful non-holiday quarter in the company's history. The new hardware includes new iMac models, a new sub-$1,000 MacBook and a multitouch mouse that Apple has dubbed the "Magic Mouse." On Wall Street, the company's revelations sent its stock climbing.

Cobbling Together an Almost Good-as-New MacBook
September 29, 2009

One question that often plagues me is whether it's worth upgrading an existing Apple notebook with more RAM and a new hard drive -- or whether it's a better option to simply buy a whole new one altogether. I tend to buy a new PowerBook, iBook, or MacBook every two years or so, and usually around the 16-month point, I'm in a quandary.

Does Green Matter to You?
September 07, 2009

I'm at IFA as I write this, and in Europe, green clearly does matter. Here, they even have a viable Green Party, but in the U.S., I sometimes wonder whether we care. This was showcased in a presentation in which Sony ranked geographical areas in terms of the importance of green, and the U.S. came in last.

Apple Floats, but Will It Fly?
August 26, 2009

Take a look at your favorite online stock tracker site and check out the year's activity for Apple, starting at the beginning of August last year. Then compare that with Tuesday's closing price. On Aug. 8, 2008, Apple's closing price was $169.55. At Tuesday's close, it was $169.40. After a year of new gadgets and a stock market crash, the per-share loss is 15 cents.

What Does an Apple Tablet Need to Be Worth a Damn?
August 14, 2009

It seems almost every technology analyst, reporter and blogger these days either believes that Apple is on the cusp of releasing an iPod touch-like tablet computer, or is willing to repeat the rumors to that effect. Some believe Apple will reveal a tablet in September, along with the likely announcement of an iPod and iTunes upgrade.

Get Off My Platform! Apple Cuts Pre's iTunes Connection
July 17, 2009

There's a lot of interesting activity to consider in the Apple-focused blogosphere this week, but three items in particular look like they might create some fairly long-range ripples. One analyst says that Apple and its iPhone are wrecking the cellular industry. For Palm, that may very well be true -- Apple cut off the smartphone manufacturer's easy Palm Pre iTunes syncing ability.

The Little MacBook Pro That Could, Batteries That Can't, a Touch That Might
July 10, 2009

The Apple-focused blogosphere is still chugging along, even as the summer sun starts pounding down. While Apple's new MacBooks have been getting good reviews for the long lives of their built-in batteries, the iPhone still isn't getting battery raves. More and more users seem to be using external battery packs to give their iPhones a new boost of juice.

Of DoJ Probes, Lost Marketers and Nvidia Vexations
July 08, 2009

It's been a pretty bad week for the financial markets in general, and it seems the bears may stick around for a while. On Tuesday, the S&P fell to a 10-week low; meanwhile the Obama administration began muttering about a new stimulus package, the Dow fell more than 161 points, and the Nasdaq fell more than 40 points.

Axiotron: Living Comfortably in Apple's Neutral Zone
July 06, 2009

The deafening buzz over the prospects of an Apple netbook often drowns out the fact that a Mac tablet computer does exist -- although it isn't exactly made by the Infinite Loop crowd. Axiotron, of El Segundo, Calif., has had a tablet notebook based on the Mac platform in the market for two years.

Jobs' Quiet Comeback, Mini's Big BOM and Maine's Massive MacBook Splurge
July 02, 2009

After the raging blog activity surrounding the launch of iPhone OS 3.0 and the new iPhone 3GS, the Apple-focused blogosphere has finally slowed down to catch its collective breath. Still, there's plenty to talk about, like Michael Jackson music sales going through the roof on iTunes, CEO Steve Jobs returning to Apple's Cupertino campus and the Mac mini's relatively high build cost.

Jobs Is Back, Apple's Still Standing, Life Goes On
July 01, 2009

After all the excitement about Steve Jobs' health, the market reaction to news that the Apple CEO had returned to work appeared muted. Apple shares closed at $142.43 at close of trading Tuesday, 46 cents up from the previous day's close. They were actually down from Monday's open of just under $144.

WWDC: iPhone Invigorated, Snow Leopard Spruced, AT&T Tarnished
June 12, 2009

The hottest news in the Apple-focused blogosphere this week all started with Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote. On Monday, the company -- sans still-on-hiatus CEO Steve Jobs -- announced the faster iPhone 3G S, multiple MacBook upgrades, and its next Mac OS X -- aka "Snow Leopard." All these announcments gave the online world plenty to talk about.

Apple Launches Speedy New iPhone, Cuts a Bunch of Prices
June 09, 2009

Apple used the first day of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference to focus on power, speed and price-slashing regarding its hot-selling iPhone. Monday's keynote speech and demonstrations introduced the new iPhone 3G S that is supposed to be faster in terms of download and connection speeds and more robust when it comes to juggling applications.

The iTablet Cometh?
May 22, 2009

Apple aficionados turned their attention this week back to a rumored Apple iPod touch-like tablet device. Chatter about such a gadget has risen and fallen several times over the past few months, so what put it back on the front burner? It seems a recent Piper Jaffray report suggests Apple is working with suppliers to deliver such a large-screen touch tablet sometime in the first half of 2010.

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.