MacBook

mobile
February 23, 2012
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iPad pushes Apple to 26.6% of the mobile PC market in Q4

By on February 23, 2012 at 5:05 PM.

iPad pushes Apple to 26.6% of the mobile PC market in Q4

Apple’s shipments of iPads and MacBooks in the fourth quarter combined to give the Cupertino-based company a 26.6% percent share of the mobile PC market, according to a report from DisplaySearch released on Thursday. Apple shipped a total of 23.4 million units, nearly three times the amount of No.2 HP. The iPad accounted for 18.7 million units and captured 59.1% of the tablet market. Amazon shipped 5.3 million Kindle Fire’s for 16.7% of the market, with Samsung shipping 2.1 million and controlling 6.7% of the market. ASUS shipped 1.5 million units for a 4.6% market share and Barnes & Noble shipped 1.1 million units for a 3.5% share. Apple’s fourth quarter notebook shipments came in at 4.6 million units for an 8.3% share of the market. Ranking ahead of the Cupertino-based company was HP (15%), Dell (11.8%), Acer (11.8%) and Lenovo (10.8%). Read on for DisplaySearch’s press release. More →

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Business
February 20, 2012
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ABC looks inside Foxconn during ‘a trip to the iFactory’ [video]

By on February 20, 2012 at 10:00 AM.

ABC looks inside Foxconn during ‘a trip to the iFactory’ [video]

ABC recently became the latest news organization to be given a look inside consumer electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn’s facilities in Shenzhen and Chengdu, China, and the Nightline special that resulted from the trip will air on Tuesday. In the meantime, ABC News has posted a 90-second teaser video containing footage from reporter Bill Weir’s trip to China. Apple, of course, is the only Foxconn partner mentioned in the preview so we can expect the forthcoming report to focus on the Cupertino-based company’s wares, but the teaser promises a never-before-seen look at Foxconn’s facilities so it could be an eye-opening segment. Foxconn and its premier partner Apple have once again taken center stage in a human rights debate that recently saw protesters deliver a petition to Apple’s Grand Central Terminal store demanding the technology giant play a more active role in improving working conditions in the Chinese factories that assemble its hardware. ABC’s teaser video follows after the break. More →

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Computers
February 16, 2012
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OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion first impressions: This is a cougar I’d take home

By on February 16, 2012 at 2:15 PM.

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion first impressions: This is a cougar I’d take home

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion review

Apple just did something the company hasn’t done very often in recent years — it completely surprised nearly every single person with the announcement of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, the next OS for the Mac. Inching a step closer to bridging the gap between iOS and OS X, Mountain Lion brings practically all of iOS’s featured apps to desktop and laptop computers. From Messages, which I’ve been waiting for ever since iMessage was announced, to built-in iCloud support, Notification Center, Game Center, Reminders, Notes, a much-improved Safari browser, AirPlay and more, the two OSes are practically the same now in terms of system apps. This is the first developer preview of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, and the OS will only improve before it is released in the summer. If you’re itching for my thoughts, though, you’ll find them after the break. More →

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Computers
February 7, 2012
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Apple’s secret project to port Mac OS X to ARM processors revealed by intern

By on February 7, 2012 at 9:30 AM.

Apple’s secret project to port Mac OS X to ARM processors revealed by intern

In 2009, Tristan Schaap received the chance of a lifetime when he was offered an internship by Apple’s Platform Technologies Group. During his time interning with the company, Schaap was part of a team that was secretly attempting to port Mac OS X to the ARM architect, according to his Bachelor thesis published by Delft University of Technology. ARM-based chipsets are currently used in in Apple’s mobile devices while its computers use Intel processors. The thesis was originally embargoed due to the sensitive content, however the embargo has since been lifted and the paper was published in September last year. After completing his 12-week internship and graduating with a B.S. in Computer Science, Schaap was hired by Apple as a CoreOS engineer. It has long been rumored that Apple is considering a move to support ARM in its desktop and laptop computers. More →

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Computers
January 27, 2012
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Future iPhone and iPad may feature MagSafe ports, wireless charging

By on January 27, 2012 at 12:00 PM.

Future iPhone and iPad may feature MagSafe ports, wireless charging

The magnetic MagSafe connectors Apple uses on its MacBook laptops was first introduced in 2006 and it has become a signature design element used across all Apple notebooks, but MagSafe technology is about much more than just aesthetics, of course. Rather than using cable and port combinations with male and female connectors that can wear down or pull a notebook computer off a desk when a cable is accidentally stepped on, Apple’s solution marries the power cable and MacBook charger port using small magnets that hold the connector in place. New patents uncovered by Patently Apple reveal that Apple is working on expanding its use of magnets across several product lines, and we may soon be introduced to a variety of new magnet-driven features in Apple’s upcoming MacBook and iOS device lines. Read on for more. More →

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Legal
January 18, 2012
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Apple granted 22 new patents, including one for ‘smart’ clothing

By on January 18, 2012 at 5:15 PM.

Apple granted 22 new patents, including one for ‘smart’ clothing

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published documentation on 22 recently granted patents for Apple on Tuesday. The patents, as reported by Patently Apple, cover items including clothing technology that could be built into future running shoes, the advanced multitouch trackpads found in Macbooks, and the technology found in Apple TV. The most intriguing patent relates to Apple’s Nike + iPod product. This patent outlines a system for monitoring and controlling user exercises with a sensor inside the shoe. Unlike the normal Nike + sensors, however, the new sensors are designed to send the “tracked garment usage and detected wear patterns to the external database.” The sensor will be able to inform the user of the life of a product, and could possibly incorporate training programs using a “virtual trainer.” Read on for more. More →

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mobile
January 13, 2012
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Apple reveals list of parts suppliers for first time ever

By on January 13, 2012 at 2:10 PM.

Apple reveals list of parts suppliers for first time ever

Apple, a company known for its secrecy, has released a list of its official suppliers for the first time ever. Due to backlash from human rights groups, Apple created a supplier responsibility page on the company’s website. Previously, the page only featured labor and human rights, worker health and safety, environmental impact, and general ethics information. The company has updated the page, however, and it now now includes a list of more than 150 different companies that supply parts for Apple products. The move is part of Apple’s effort to address ongoing concerns surrounding the wages and working conditions in factories belonging to its suppliers. ”Apple prohibits practices that threaten the rights of workers — even when local laws and customs permit such practices,” Apple said on its site. “We’ve taken action toward ending excessive recruitment fees, preventing the hiring of underage workers, and prohibiting discriminatory policies at our suppliers. And as the first technology company to be admitted to the Fair Labor Association, Apple is setting a new standard in transparency and oversight.”

More →

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Rumor
December 21, 2011
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Acer’s $699 15-inch ultrabook could undercut rumored 15-inch MacBook Air

By on December 21, 2011 at 6:45 PM.

Acer’s $699 15-inch ultrabook could undercut rumored 15-inch MacBook Air

Following the early successes of its of 11-inch and 13-inch ultrabooks, Acer has reportedly decided to build a brand new 15-inch ultrabook that may dramatically undercut the price of Apple’s rumored 15-inch MacBook Air. DigiTimes said Wednesday that Acer has already contracted Pegratron to build the new computer, and that the device could be priced as low as $699 — $300 cheaper than the entry-level 11-inch MacBook Air. The latest rumors suggest that Apple could be prepared to deliver its 15-inch MacBook Air to the market as soon as the first quarter next year and that the device is already in the early stages of production. It is unclear when Acer’s new ultrabook will launch. More →

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Computers
December 14, 2011
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MacBook Pro rumored to get Retina-like resolution bump

By on December 14, 2011 at 7:30 AM.

MacBook Pro rumored to get Retina-like resolution bump

Apple may currently be prepping a huge display upgrade for its MacBook Pro line of notebook computers that would be on par with the bump from its iPhone 3GS display to the Retina Display on the iPhone 4. Citing sources from within Apple’s component supplier chain, DigiTimes on Wednesday reported that Apple will add new display panels to its MacBook Pro laptops in 2012 that pack a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800 pixels. The new displays would quadruple the resolution of the current 1,440 x 900-pixel screen on the 15-inch MacBook Pro, just as the 960 x 640-pixel Retina Display on the iPhone 4 quadrupled the iPhone 3GS’s 480 x 320-pixel panel. The report notes that both Acer and ASUS are planning high-end ultrabooks with upgraded 1920 x 1080-pixel displays next year as well, up from the 1,366 x 768-pixel displays used on early ultrabook models. More →

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Computers
November 21, 2011
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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 →

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Computers
November 17, 2011
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MacBook tablet hybrid tipped by new Apple patent

By on November 17, 2011 at 11:01 AM.

MacBook tablet hybrid tipped by new Apple patent

A patent awarded to Apple on Wednesday points to one possible solution the company might use once it finally equips the first MacBook computer with tablet-like functionality. The unique design described in the new patent uses a clutch barrel pivoting component that serves two purposes, Patently Apple reports. First, it houses two embedded antennas that provide integrated cellular connectivity. More interestingly, however, its design allows the laptop’s display to be rotated and folded down on top of the keyboard to provide a touchscreen-only tablet configuration. Read on for more. More →

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Business
November 16, 2011
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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 →

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Computers
November 15, 2011
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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 →

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