MacBook Air

Computers
November 21, 2011
by

Canalys: Apple set to become world’s top PC vendor next year

By on November 21, 2011 at 2:35 PM.

Canalys: Apple set to become world’s top PC vendor next year

Apple is on track to become the No.1 PC vendor in the world next year according to new projections. Market research firm Canalys on Monday announced that it expects Apple to pass current top vendor Hewlett-Packard before the end of the first half in 2012. This estimate includes iPad sales however, while most firms omit tablets from their PC figures. Solid iPad sales propelled Apple into the No.2 spot last quarter according to Canalys, and it will overtake HP some time before July next year if sales continue to grow as expected. Read on for more. More →

No Comments
Business
November 16, 2011
by

Despite roadblocks, Apple’s MacBook shipments to hold strong in Q4

By on November 16, 2011 at 1:45 AM.

Despite roadblocks, Apple’s MacBook shipments to hold strong in Q4

Apple’s MacBook shipments are expected to remain strong during the fourth quarter of this year, DigiTimes reported on Tuesday. There has been a bit of speculation that the company’s shipments might be affected due to flooding in Thailand, which has impacted hard drive manufacturing, and a recent order for the company’s chassis supplier to freeze its production line. The chassis supplier, Catcher Technology, was reportedly ordered to stop production in October over concerns that the company was over-polluting. Apple’s computer manufacturer, Quanta Computer, shipped 5.3 million units last month and sources speaking to DigiTimes said the increase was largely related to orders for Apple’s MacBook Pro. The MacBook Air is reportedly faring just as well. According to new NPD figures that were revealed in a recent Morgan Stanley note, the MacBook Air was responsible for 28% of all Apple notebook shipments during the first half of this year. More →

No Comments
Computers
November 15, 2011
by

Ultra-thin 15-inch MacBook may launch in Q2 next year

By on November 15, 2011 at 8:10 AM.

Ultra-thin 15-inch MacBook may launch in Q2 next year

Apple may launch an ultra-thin 15-inch MacBook laptop as early as the second quarter of 2012 according to a new report. Components for the new notebook have already begun shipping, DigiTimes reported on Tuesday, though details are extremely limited for the time being. The site’s nameless sources say that components started moving this month in small volumes, perhaps for test runs of the new computer. As was the case when earlier reports emerged regarding the new laptop, it is unclear if this new model will be added to the high end of Apple’s MacBook Air line or if it will simply be a new, thinner MacBook Pro. Mass shipments are currently scheduled to begin in March according to the report, though firm launch timing is unknown at this time. More →

No Comments
Computers
November 3, 2011
by

Apple may overhaul all product lines in 2012

By on November 3, 2011 at 11:40 AM.

Apple may overhaul all product lines in 2012

A new rumor from DigiTimes suggests Apple will “overhaul” all of its products next year. The site’s sources specifically named the iPad, iMac, iPhone and MacBook Air as lines to receive significant refreshes, though each was upgraded to some extent this year. A slightly refreshed iPad 2, with a thinner design and better battery life could land as soon as March, while a brand new iPad 3 is rumored to make its debut during the third quarter of 2012. DigiTimes said a new iPhone and iMac will be launched during the second quarter, which means a June launch for the thinner, lighter and more powerful iPhone 5 is apparently possible. The MacBook Air was last refreshed in July and it is unclear when an upgrade for that, or Apple’s other products, might be announced. More →

No Comments
Computers
October 31, 2011
by

Apple may be building ultra-thin 15-inch MacBook

By on October 31, 2011 at 8:35 AM.

Apple may be building ultra-thin 15-inch MacBook

Apple is designing a new 15-inch MacBook model that will offer an ultra-thin MacBook Air-like design, Macotakara said recently. We heard a similar rumor in July that suggested Apple had already entered late testing stages with the device. It remains unclear if Apple will introduce a 15-inch MacBook Air or if the new model will be a thinner MacBook Pro model. Apple currently only offers 13-inch and 11-inch MacBook Air models, so it is possible the company is adding a larger laptop to the mix. Apple currently outfits its MacBook Pro computers with an optical drive and beefier hardware that contribute to the bulkier size; a thinner model might mean the company is ditching the optical drive to remove some bulk. The Cupertino-based firm quietly upgraded the MacBook Pro on October 24th, however, so any drastic changes to the computer probably won’t be unveiled until some time next year. More →

No Comments
Featured
October 6, 2011
by

The little things

By on October 6, 2011 at 2:07 PM.

The little things

While I don’t have a story to tell about Steve Jobs and myself, I do have a personal story. Years ago, actually almost five years ago now, I posted that I had heard from a close source of mine that Apple was set to release an “all new” MacBook, and it was most likely the ultra-portable laptop that was rumored to be in the works. I got the information from someone close to me, and he got the information from someone with first-hand knowledge of the device. Basically, Apple had requested that a popular music group at the time play at its holiday party. The group wouldn’t be paid for its performance, but every member of the band would get one of Apple’s brand new laptops the company would be introducing at MacWorld. I also reported that the laptop would be available almost immediately after its unveiling. This came true, and that laptop ended up being the groundbreaking MacBook Air. A few days after publishing the scoop, I received a phone call from my source that it went something like this: More →

128 Comments
Computers
August 26, 2011
by

Apple to launch new MacBook Air models in China

By on August 26, 2011 at 8:10 AM.

Apple to launch new MacBook Air models in China

Apple is preparing to finally launch its mid-2011 MacBook Air models in the coming weeks according to checks performed by Ticonderoga Securities. In a note to investors on Friday morning, Ticonderoga’s Brian White recounts channel checks indicating Apple’s authorized resellers in the greater China region are set to begin receiving mid-2011 MacBook Air models as soon as next week. The analyst believes the imminent launch could be a big hit for Apple due to the growing popularity of Apple products in China, as well as the increasing number of consumers who can afford to own a PC. White also notes that “there is no laptop product on the market with the characteristics of the new MacBook Air,” which is likely to draw considerable attention. Apple’s new notebooks launched in Hong Kong over this past week, and White says the launch was met with big demand, and consumers there are also still clamoring for the iPhone 4 and iPad 2. Read on for more. More →

11 Comments
Computers
August 23, 2011
by

Apple fails to meet reseller demand for 13-inch MacBook Air

By on August 23, 2011 at 3:04 PM.

Apple fails to meet reseller demand for 13-inch MacBook Air

Apple has not been able to provide “significant stock” of its new 13-inch MacBook Air notebooks to its indirect reseller channels, including Amazon and Best Buy, AppleInsider reported on Tuesday. Best Buy’s website says it is sold out online while Amazon is currently selling the 128GB and 256GB models for $250 more than the computer’s MSRP. Apple’s web store currently says the computer will ship within 24 hours of purchase and AppleInsider’s checks with 10 stores around the United States revealed that the Cuptertino-based company has had relatively no issues keeping the device in stock in its own retail channels. Only one Los Angeles Apple Store said it was sold out the 13-inch 128GB model. Apple revealed its mid-2011 MacBook Air family on July 20th and the computers were upgraded with Intel’s Core i5 and Core i7 processors and a Thunderbolt I/O port. More →

30 Comments
mobile
August 3, 2011
by

Apple to combine OS X and iOS in 2012, analyst says

By on August 3, 2011 at 11:20 AM.

Apple to combine OS X and iOS in 2012, analyst says

Apple will begin to merge its OS X and iOS operating systems in 2012 according to predictions made by Jefferies & Co. analyst Peter Misek.”We believe Apple is looking to merge iOS (iPhones/iPads) with OS X (Macs) into a single platform for apps and cloud services starting in 2012-13,” Misek said. He believes that the A6 processor is “capable of PC-like strength,” and that Apple will implement it into its iPad 3 during the first quarter of 2012, into the iPhone 5 next summer, and into the MacBook Air in 2012 or 2013. “Users want to be able to pick up any iPhone, iPad, or Mac (or turn on their iTV) and have content move seamlessly between them and be optimized for the user and the device currently being used,” Misek said. “We believe this will be difficult to implement if iOS and OS X are kept separate.” There have been rumors that Apple has considered building its own TV, which Misek refers to as the “iTV,” although that has been pure speculation. More →

52 Comments
Computers
July 27, 2011
by

Thoughts on Apple’s new MacBook Air (mid-2011)

By on July 27, 2011 at 1:33 PM.

Thoughts on Apple’s new MacBook Air (mid-2011)

I’ve been using Apple’s mid-2011 MacBook Air for almost a week now and even though it’s physically the same unit that it replaced (for the most part) on the exterior, this is an entirely different beast. For starters, Apple’s second-generation MacBook Air improved greatly on the first model by offering up a redesigned case complete with two built-in USB ports, an SD card reader and SSD hard drives as the only available options. The older Intel Core 2 Duo processors however, severely limited the computer. It was functional enough for me to replace a Core i7 MacBook Pro, but it was slow; normal tasks would bog the system down, and the computer would heat up at the drop of a dime. All this has changed with the latest MacBook Air, however. Read on for my thoughts.

More →

87 Comments
Computers
July 26, 2011
by

Apple laptops can be hacked to self-destruct; flaw to be detailed by hacker next month

By on July 26, 2011 at 6:35 PM.

Apple laptops can be hacked to self-destruct; flaw to be detailed by hacker next month

How’s this for an undocumented feature? Apple’s newer MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks have a security flaw that can allow hackers to remotely prevent the batteries from charging. Better yet, hackers can exploit the same flaw and remotely cause batteries to explode. Apple laptops’ new “smart” battery technology is intended to provide added control over power management, and it does just that. Unfortunately, it also gives hackers added control because the microcontroller chip that ships in recent Apple laptops can be accessed remotely using a default password shared by each and every notebook. Charlie Miller, the security expert who discovered the vulnerability, plans to showcase the flaw next month at the Black Hat security conference. There, Miller will show that he is able to access the battery controller remotely and cause it to refuse a charge, or even heat up until it catches fire and explodes. “These batteries just aren’t designed with the idea that people will mess with them,” Miller told Forbes last week. “What I’m showing is that it’s possible to use them to do something really bad.” Thankfully, the security expert also intends to showcase a fix for the flaw, which Apple will hopefully implement as soon as possible. More →

78 Comments
Computers
July 26, 2011
by

Apple rumored to be working on ultra-thin 15-inch notebook PC

By on July 26, 2011 at 4:25 PM.

Apple rumored to be working on ultra-thin 15-inch notebook PC

Apple is in the late stages of testing a new ultra-thin 15-inch notebook computer that may or may not be an upcoming new addition to the MacBook Air family. MacRumors on Tuesday reports that the new ultra-thin laptop could either be a MacBook Air, which is currently offered in 11 and 13-inch sizes, or a MacBook Pro, which is currently offered in 13, 15 and 17-inch sizes. No pricing or release timing is being reported at this point, though a launch in the near term is unlikely. Apple refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup this past February and new MacBookAir models launched just this past week. More →

31 Comments
Computers
July 21, 2011
by

New MacBook Air shipments reach 400,000-500,000 in June

By on July 21, 2011 at 8:40 PM.

New MacBook Air shipments reach 400,000-500,000 in June

Suppliers already shipped between 400,000 and 500,000 units of Apple’s refreshed MacBook Air in June, and shipments aren’t expected to slow anytime soon according to DigiTimes. Reportedly, the high volume of shipments is expected to remain just as strong in July and August, and “series sales” could top 14 million units this year. Apple officially took the wraps off of its updated MacBook Air on Wednesday. It has the same form factor as previous models, but it now offers a Thunderbolt I/O port, Intel’s Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 processors, a backlit keyboard, and runs Apple’s new OS X Lion operating system. More →

22 Comments