Even though Apple’s new Lightning connector is super easy to use and quicker than the old 30-pin connectors, it could be better. Right now, the Lightning port on iOS devices doesn’t transfer data at USB 3.0 speeds, even though it’s thought to be able to support it.
A recent listing on Apple’s jobs site might be clueing us in that Apple wants to boost transfer speeds on iOS devices by adding USB 3.0 support.
There’s a problem I often run into with my mobile devices, and that’s not enough storage space. I insist on purchasing devices with just 16GB of memory, and then I have to find ways to manage that storage the best I can. Some devices will take microSD cards that will allow you to bump their storage as and when you need it, but others — like Apple’s iOS devices — don’t come with that luxury.
Vantec’s new NexStar WiFi hard drive dock lets you bump your smartphone, tablet, and even PC storage over Wi-Fi. You can use it to store your audio and video collections on your home network, then use Vantec’s dedicated apps to access them wirelessly when you need to.
LaCie, the fantastic data storage company that was recently acquired by Seagate, has updated its d2 external hard drive with USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt. It comes in a sleek, minimal, fan-free, aluminum shell that looks great next to any Mac.
With speeds of up to 180MB/s, the only real downside to this drive is that it’s not solid state. LaCie is selling both 3TB and 4TB models.
Wondering what Apple will call its new dock connector? No, it won’t be the “9-pin connector” — this is Apple we’re talking about, the company behind the Thunderbolt port. Instead, it’s expected to be labeled “Lightning,” and the kooky names don’t stop there. The Cupertino company is also expected to unveil a new set of earphones at its iPhone 5 event today, which will reportedly be called “Earpod,” along with a new iPod touch accessory called the “Loop.”
A new report suggests that Apple is gearing up to launch its latest lineup of iMacs very soon. It’s unclear whether they’ll get that much-anticipated Retina display, but if that’s not going to be a decider for you, it looks like you’ll have a new all-in-one in the coming weeks.
External hard drives: super handy, but oh-so-slow, especially since Apple put a bullet in the back of FireWire’s head. Thankfully, Western Digital has once again come to the rescue with a neat new addition to its My Passport line of portable drives: The Edge.
These new versions not only look way more high-tech than the previous curvy plastic models, they also support MacBook-friendly USB 3.0.
U.K. retailer PC World has made some incredible reductions to Apple’s last-generation Macs, with prices starting at just £379 (about $670) for a refurbished Mac mini. It also has MacBook Airs starting at £499 (about $790), and MacBook Pros starting at £649 (about $1,028) — that’s £350 (about $554) off the original price tag.
Workers are already getting ready for WWDC 2012, and so are we.
Today at 10AM Pacific, Tim Cook will take the stage at the Moscone Center in San Francisco for Apple’s annual WWDC keynote, and if the rumor mill is to be believed, he’ll be hard pressed to fit everything Cupertino is ready to announce into its 90 minute presentation. We’re looking at massive upgrades to the entire Mac line, the official unveiling of iOS 6, loads of new apps, and maybe possibly even our first glimpse of the iPhone 5 and Apple HDTV.
Here’s what we think Apple will (and won’t) announce today, ranked in order of likelihood.
Back to black: your next MacBook could be made of Liquidmetal
Yesterday, we heard an analyst report suggesting that Apple would effectively kill off the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines and merge then into a single, streamlined device known only as the MacBook.
It was an interesting report, but analysts say a lot of things, including sometimes when they are at the bottom of a barrel of bourbon. But now Mactrast is saying that their own unproven source is echoing reports of a MacBook Pro/MacBook Air hybrid… boasting USB 3.0 support and a sexy, lightweight Liquidmetal chassis.
This will be the chip that features in your next Mac.
Just as expected, Intel launched its first crop of quad-core Ivy Bridge processors today. This is the chip that will replace the company’s Sandy Bridge CPUs in Apple’s next-generation of Macs. They’re the world’s first processors to use a 22-nanometer manufacturing process and feature Intel’s “Tri-Gate” 3D transistor technology.
![iPhone 5’s New Dock Connector To Be Called ‘Lightning’, New Earphones Called ‘Earpod’ [Rumor]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/iPhone5connector.jpeg "iPhone-5-dock-connector-headphone-jack")
![Get Ready! New iMacs Are Imminent [Report]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Apple-iMac_2011.jpg "Apple-iMac_2011")
![U.K. Retailer PC World Slashes Up To £1,100 Off Macs In Mega Summer Sale [Deals]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Screen-Shot-2012-08-24-at-11.26.22.jpg "PC-World-Mac-sale")
![Everything We Expect Apple To Announce Today At WWDC 2012 [Feature]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/photo.jpg "photo")
![Next MacBooks Will Be Made Of Liquidmetal, USB 3.0 Compatible [Rumor]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/MacBook-Pro-LiquidMetal.jpg "MacBook-Pro-LiquidMetal")
