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November 2006 |
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Thursday, November 30 |
Apple MacBook Core 2 Duo Review
NotebookReview - "Studying Computer Science at Imperial College London has given me the opportunity to use a wide range of Operating Systems. In the past year, I have both casually played with and professionally worked with Linux, UNIX, Windows and Mac OS X. In my personal opinion, Mac OS X impressed me the most with its logical structure; powerful hardware drawn graphics and effects; and security and stability. Therefore, I did not hesitate when Apple announced its Core 2 Duo MacBook, and ordered one the very same day. Seeing as the only things different between the Core Duo and Core 2 Duo MacBooks are hardware related, this review will focus more on performance and benchmarks, and less on the design and other things that have remained the same."
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Wednesday, November 29 |
Review: See-Thru Hard Shell Case
 MacNN - "While the MacBook Pro is a polished beauty to admire, its silver casing is not immune to the hazards of daily use. Speck Products solves this potential problem with a shiny, holiday red, hard polycarbonate plastic shell-type case. Currently, the custom shell is available for the Apple 15" MacBook Pro Core Duo only. A version for the 13" MacBook is announced on the site, but no date appears yet. The red color adds a unique styling to my laptop, though some may consider it somewhat child-like. A clear case is available for those of you who do not want such a bold, eye-catching color."
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Tuesday, November 28 |
Apple Releases Security Update 2006-007
 Apple has released Security Update 2006-007 via Mac OS X's Software Update utility and on the Web. According to the company, Security Update 2006-007 is recommended for all users and improves the security of the following components: AirPort, ATS, CFNetwork, Finder, Font Book, Font Importer, Installer, OpenSSL, PHP, PPP, Samba, Security Framework, VPN, WebKit, gnuzip, and perl...
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Tom Bihn's Brain Cell
 The PowerBook Zone - "I found it. I found my desert island laptop bag. Now, most of you have probably never thought about what bag or sleeve you'd take with you if you could only have one on a desert island, but when you have as many passing through your doors as I do, you start to think about it. Why does Tom Bihn's Brain Cell bag warrant such praise? The Brain Cell has versatility, working as both a sleeve and a bag, and the design is sure to keep out any sand and tough enough to crack coconuts on."
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Monday, November 27 |
Hands-on: The 17-in. MacBook Pro gets the Core 2 Duo...
Computerworld - "It has been said that buyers should generally avoid the first year of a new model car, Version 1.0 of just about any application and most Rev. A computers -- especially Rev. A computers.
Well, if you held off buying the first Intel-based versions of Apple Computer Inc.'s MacBook Pro laptops, you can safely venture forth to the nearest computer store and take one home. I base that on my hands-on experience with Apple's latest updated consumer MacBook lineup, the recently revamped 15-in. MacBook Pro and -- now, finally -- the 17-in. variation of Apple's professional laptop line."
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Friday, November 24 |
AMUG EyeTV Hybrid Review
 AMUG - "Elgato Systems is shipping the USB 2.0 EyeTV Hybrid analog/digital TV receiver ($149) which allows users to watch, pause, record and edit analog and HDTV broadcasts via a USB 2.0 connection. The EyeTV Hybrid provides a 125 channel cable ready analog TV tuner plus a 78 channel Digital ATSC HDTV tuner for watching or recording TV broadcasts. The EyeTV Hybrid can be connected to a cable service, an analog antenna or an ATSC HDTV antenna. In addition, users can utilize the EyeTV Hybrid break out cable to record content from any video device that supports composite or S video connections."
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Tuesday, November 21 |
Review: MacBook Core 2 Duo/1.83GHz and 2.0GHz
Macworld - "Before even reaching its six-month birthday, the MacBook has undergone its first makeover. The changes-a new processor and (in two of the three standard MacBook configurations) more memory, bigger hard drives, and double-layer DVD burning-aren't quite as substantial as Apple's recent enhancements to the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but they add real value to a product that had already taken the consumer and education markets by storm."
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iToppers iBook - MacBook covers - Review
 MyMac - "Recently on the MyMac.com podcast, Tim, Chad, and I had discussed a certain product that can make an ordinary Apple notebook into something more individual. While Apple certainly has intelligent and talented design engineers, their notebook line has changed very little over the last few years as far as the way they look goes. So, if you have a G4 PowerBook or Core2Duo MacBook Pro, unless you look closely you'll notice very little difference in outward appearance. Same thing for the G3/G4 iBooks and MacBooks. Of course while the MacBooks have a very different keyboard construction from their older iBook brethren and the size has gone from a 12 or 14-inch screen to a single 13.3-inch screen, they all still have the same white polycarbonate (or black if you feel the need to spend an extra $150 for the same machine) outer casing...
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Shootout: 13" MacBook Core 2 Duo versus Others
Bare Feats - "In another recent article I said it would be nice if Apple would put a "supercharger" in the 13" MacBook --- sort of like the JCW Tuning Kit for a MINI Cooper that turns it into a "pocket rocket" -- for those of us who like little things that go wicked fast. Then the Core 2 Duo version of the MacBook is announced. So inquiring minds want to know if it provides enough "punch" over the Core Duo version to deem the MacBook as an "S" model. Or is that integrated GPU going to ruin all the fun?"
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Monday, November 20 |
Cool down: Core 2 Duo switch drops MacBook temps
Macworld - "The MacBook's switch to a Core 2 Duo processor may have produced only modest gains when compared to a similar upgrade to the MacBook Pro. But the updated MacBooks do beat their high-powered counterparts in one significant area-they run significantly cooler."
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Reviewers love Core 2 Duo MacBook for most applications
iTWire - "Apple's new Core 2 Duo is receiving rave reviews, with the unit outperforming the older Core Duo models. But if you're a serious gamer or want to run Vista at the same time, you'll need the MacBook Pro. Seduced by the thought of getting a brand new portable Mac so you can run Mac OS X and Windows Vista at the same time? Then don't get a MacBook, get a MacBook Pro. That's a shame, because the MacBook is a beautiful machine. But thanks to a 2Gb memory limit, and the use of an integrated graphics system, AKA the Intel GMA 950, serious computer users wanting maximum performance will find a MacBook Pro is better suited to their needs."
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Friday, November 17 |
Review: 15-inch MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo/2.16GHz and 2.33GHz
Macworld -"Apple says that its latest MacBook Pro laptops, equipped with Intel Core 2 Duo processors in place of the Core Duo chips that powered the first generation of the family, "deliver performance that is up to 39 percent faster." Based on past experience with the company's benchmark boasts, I expected to find myself writing, in effect, "Sure, but you'll never see anything close to that in real life."
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Review: FastMac's replacement battery a TruePower
 Macsimum News - "If you're looking for a replacement and/or extra battery for your 15-inch MacBook Pro, give FastMac's 62 Whr battery a shot. It uses Lithium-Polymer cells (with integrated charge indicatorLEDs) and offers longer life-per-charge than Apple's included battery. FastMac says it offers "up to 68 percent" longer battery life. I never got that much, but did get an impressive 50-55 percent more."
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MacBook Earns CNET Editors' Choice Award
 CNET has posted a review of the new 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook. According to the CNET editors, "Now that the high-end MacBook Pro has Intel's Core 2 Duo CPU, it's high time the latest processor technology filtered down to Apple's more consumer-friendly MacBook line. There are three MacBook models, one with a 1.83GHz CPU and two with 2.0GHz CPUs. The MacBook starts at a mere $1,099, but our review unit is the most tricked-out of the three, offering the faster CPU and a larger hard drive for a still palatable $1,499. These 13.3-inch notebooks, available in the standard...
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Thursday, November 16 |
New MacBook is 'fast as all get out'
Computerworld - "Announced last week, already on store shelves and measuring up well not only to its predecessor but to its big brothers in the MacBook Pro lineup, the new MacBook is an even better value than the model it replaces. With a notable speed boost from the new Core 2 Duo processor, more standard RAM and larger hard drives, the MacBook arrived just ahead of the holiday shopping season. It's as if (insert your holiday icon of choice here) had arrived early."
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Wednesday, November 15 |
CoolBook adjusts Core Duo voltage and frequency
 ZDNet - "Hot on the heels of my story yesterday about undervolting your Core Duo CPU to save on battery and heat comes a nifty piece of shareware. CoolBook is a GUI to control CPU clock speed and voltage. It's like the author was reading my mind! CoolBook is a $10 shareware application for the MacBook and MBP that allows you to adjust the frequency (clock speed) and voltage of Intel Core Duo and Core 2 Duo CPUs."
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Shootout: Various MacBook Pro Internal Drives
Bare Feats - "Many of you are trying to decide which drive to order with your MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo. We were able to obtain one of each drive offered in the 17" MacBook Pro. Since Apple tends to ship MacBook Pros with both Seagate and Hitachi drives for the 5400rpm and 7200rpm options, we tested both brands."
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Zofunk Unveils KeyGuard Protectors for MacBooks
 Zofunk today unveiled its new KeyGuard silicone keyboard protectors for the MacBook and MacBook Pro. According to the company, "KeyGuard is designed to protect the keyboard from the endless amounts barrage of particles such as dust, hair and water. These innovatively crafted KeyGuard keyboard protectors are modeled to function without hindering the normal typing experience. Its fine-cut edges fit the keyboard perfectly and does not slide or move while being used. The special coating in the keyboard provides great, smoother typing experience...
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Tuesday, November 14 |
Review: Tom Bihn Super Ego Messenger Bag
 MacMerc - "Without delving too deeply into Freud's structural models of the psyche, I would like to discuss the Super Ego as it relates to the ID. When we're talking about personalities, the Superego and Id relate much in the way that the little angel and little devil coexist on the shoulders of characters in animated cartoons: the Id tells Daffy Duck to screw over his friend Bugs while the Superego tries to talk some sense into him. When we're talking about Tom Bihn messenger bags, the Super Ego is everything the ID is and much, much more."
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Benchmarks: MacBooks see a modest boost
Macworld - "Switching from a Core Duo processor to the next-generation Core 2 Duo will yield a performance boost. Our benchmarks for the recent iMac and MacBook Pro updates revealed as much. Like those two product lines, the wildly popular MacBook laptop also got a processor upgrade to the Core 2 Duo; however, clock speeds remain unchanged from the previous installment of consumer portables. As a result, the gains from this update were much more modest than what we've seen from previous Core 2 Duo-powered systems."
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Monday, November 13 |
Apple Releases MacBook and MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Updates
 Apple has released the MacBook EFI Firmware Update 1.0 via Mac OS X's Software Update Utility and on the Web. According to the company, this EFI Firmware Update fixes several Boot Camp, start up, and wake-from-sleep issues on MacBook computers. The MacBook EFI Firmware Update 1.0 weighs in at 1.6MB. After the firmware update is successfully applied to your computer, your Boot ROM Version will be: MB11.0061.B03...
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New MacBook, MacBook Pros get 802.11n treatment
Think Secret - "Apple's recently introduced MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops feature an additional upgrade the company has yet to tout: 802.11n wireless connectivity. Like the iMac line that received a Core 2 Duo upgrade in September, the new laptops have seen their wireless cards replaced by a new varient that supports the 802.11n Draft 1.0 networking standard, although Mac OS X drivers are not yet available."
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Review: ToughTech mini from WiebeTech
 O'Grady's PowerPage - "If you're anything like me, you probably move your hard drives around from machine to machine when you upgrade. I much prefer to transfer my hard drive from one MacBook to another rather than copy the data over. Inevitably I upgrade to a larger capacity model leaving me with an orphan drive."
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MacBook Core 2 Duo Performance
Geek Patrol - "Apple released updated MacBooks on Wednesday; among the improvements is an upgrade from the Core Duo processor to the Core 2 Duo processor. I thought I'd take a look at the performance of the new Core 2 Duo MacBooks with Geekbench."
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Saturday, November 11 |
Living with a MacBook - first thoughts
ZDNet - "At this week's Web 2.0 Summit, I left the PC home and ventured to the city by the bay with only my new MacBook to see what a week on the road Mac-style would be like. Overall, my experience was great - the machine is a delight to use and very easy to carry around which is critical when navigating the airport maze, crowded hallways and meeting room of an event like Web 2.0, and walking the urban landscape. There are some transitional issues I'm still wrestling with though."
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Thursday, November 09 |
Everki Flings for MacBooks
 Everki today announced the Fling, a nylon "sling-style" backpack designed for MacBooks or PC laptops up to 13 inches. According to the company, "Need a light bag to fit your one and only, the Fling carries a MacBook in style. Cushioned computer nest, inner compartment accessory space, front compartment with sunglass, pen & key pockets, plus a media player cache... its great when things are designed to just fit." The Fling is available in ivory, blue or flax, and priced at $39.99...
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Review: Room to ride on the Horseman laptop bag
 Macsimum News - "The Horseman from Crumpler is a laptop bag for those road warriors who need to carry a lot of stuff. It's spacious enough that I carried my MacBook Pro, plenty of accessories, my son and two monkeys on a recent trip. Okay, I'm exaggerating (it was just one monkey), but this is one spacious-and weather tough-bag."
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The MacBook Chasm shrinks
ZDNet - "A very short two weeks ago I wrote about the MacBook chasm, the difference in features and benefits between Apple's consumer MacBook and the professional MacBook Pro. I wrote that Apple's revving the MacBook Pro to the faster and cooler Core 2 Duo processor essentially widened the gap between the two lines and that it would make potential MacBook buyers think long and hard about the MBP before buying."
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Wednesday, November 08 |
Apple Releases New Core 2 Duo MacBooks
 Apple today unveiled its new line of MacBook consumer notebooks that now include Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Just one-inch thin, the new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than the previous generation and feature a built-in iSight video camera for on-the-go video conferencing, Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain, and iLife '06, Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications...
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The MacBook Core2 Value Equation
Low End Mac - "Just six months after introducing the MacBook, Apple has moved the model from its original Intel Core Duo CPU to the newer Core2 Duo. This will result in a roughly 10% improvement in overall computing power - and as much as 25% on some tasks. Prices and features are pretty much the same on the 1.83 GHz model, but the 2.0 GHz MacBooks have been improved with 6x dual-layer SuperDrives, 1 GB of RAM, larger hard drives (80 GB on the white model, 120 GB on the black one), and their Core2 CPUs have a twice-as-large 4 MB level 2 cache"
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MacBook Gets Core 2 Duo; Live Laptop Config; What's Your Laptop Pick?
Create Digital Music - "As widely expected, Apple has given its MacBook Core 2 Duo CPUs, as with its existing MacBook Pro. The MacBook ships with either a 1.83Ghz Core 2 Duo chip with a 2MB L2 cache or a 2 GHz CPU with a 4GB L2 cache. To me, the added MHz along with the added cache and better specs make the higher-end white MacBook the sweet spot as far as value. (There's still a "color tax" on the black MacBook, which remains at $1499.)"
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Tuesday, November 07 |
Sonnet Intros Carapace Keyboard Covers
 Sonnet Technologies today announced Carapace, its line of high-quality silicone keyboard covers for MacBook Pro, PowerBook G4, and MacBook notebooks. Carapace is custom-molded to protect the keyboard from dust, dirt and spills while allowing normal typing. Compatible with both 78-key (U.S. ANSI) and 79-key (ISO) keyboards, Carapace is easy to install and remove, withstands heavy typing and prolonged use, and is simple to clean...
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MacBook Core 2 Duo pre-order is just a typo, folks
Mac User - "If you've listened to our latest podcast, you'll know the Scott is our Prognosticator General. He predicted the MacBook Pro bump mere moments before it happened, and I've repeatedly doffed my theoretical cap in his direction. So should he say that MacBook Core 2 Duos are on the way, I might straighten up a bit."
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Monday, November 06 |
Take your MacBook Pro's temperature
ZDNet - "If you've used an Apple notebook for any extended length of time you probably have an opinion on its operating temperature. But how do you quantify the temperature of an Apple's notebook? Let's take a look at different ways to measure the temperature in the MacBook Pro."
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Friday, November 03 |
Review: Apple MacBook Pro (15.4-inch 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo)
CNet - "The MacBook Pro was introduced earlier this year with Intel's Core Duo processor, and now Apple's high-end laptop gets a boost to Intel's latest-and-greatest processor, the Core 2 Duo. Other than the updated CPU, the rest of the MacBook Pro remains largely the same, with appreciated bumps to the memory and the hard drive. There are two 15-inch versions that use either a 2.16GHz or a 2.33GHz CPU, as well as a 17-inch version with the 2.33GHz chip."
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Benchmarks: MacBook Pro gets its Core 2 Duo boost
Macworld - "Like the iMac before it, Apple's MacBook Pro underwent an upgrade highlighted by a chip swap-the Core Duo processor that used to power Apple's pro laptop is gone, replaced by the next-generation Core 2 Duo. And as with our iMac benchmarks, these updated Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro models show a modest performance gain when compared to older systems running on Core Duo chips with the same clock speeds."
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Review: Apple Macbook Pro 15-inch (Core 2 Duo)
PC Magazine - "Many of us were excited by Apple's switch to Intel Core Duo processors, and even more of us were surprised when Intel bumped its mobility chip up to the new Core 2 Duo in the months that followed. Almost every single Windows-based laptop manufacturer launched new systems or made some sort of product announcement because of the transition-but Apple dragged its feet. When the company finally started adding Core 2 Duo processors to its systems in August, only the desktop iMacs got the upgrade. Faithful Apple-laptop enthusiasts have been waiting for the Apple MacBook Pro (Core 2 Duo) announcement ever since."
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Thursday, November 02 |
First take: New MacBook Pro 'one cool customer'
Computerworld - "Sure it's got the new Core 2 Duo processor, which offers a speed bump from 2.16 GHz to 2.33 GHz. (The first-generation MacBook Pros topped out at 2.16 GHz and used Intel's Core Duo chip.) But what a difference that "2" in the processor name makes."
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Review: Apple MacBook
Techtree - "Apple's decision to switch Intel's processors from their own proprietary G4 chips is a, welcome move, considering they save lots of money on RND. However, they had to port whole of their MacOS X to be x86 compatible. This was easier compared to making new chips and also upgrading them on regular basis to keep up the performance. Now, it's Intel's job to do the researching and keep the performance-lead. Apple can now concentrate on the outer design and the software from now onwards. MacBook was one of the first few notebooks by Apple utilizing the new Intel Core Duo processor. As we write now, newer notebooks based on Intel Core 2 Duo have already been released. We can expect one of them to touch our testlabs soon."
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Wednesday, November 01 |
Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro runs 40 degrees (F) cooler
ZDNet - "I received my brand new MacBook Pro 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to learn that it runs much cooler than my previous MacBook Pro. My Core Duo MacBook Pro 2.0GHz (2GB RAM and 160GB hard drive) would frequently reach temperatures of 162 Fahrenheit after running for more than an hour. It would become so hot that it required me to run Fan Control 1.1 if I needed to use my machine anywhere near my lap."
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