We start the day with three hardware deals. First up is a number of new iMac desktops, beginning with a 2.5GHz Quad Core and 21.5-inch screen for $1,105. Next is several MacBook Pro laptops, starting at $899 for a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo. Finally, another Apple LED Cinema Display for $849.
Along the way, we also check out a number of cases for the iPad 2, iPad and iPod nano, as well as software for your Mac. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
We start out another week with some deals on desktops and portable power. First up is an iMac powered by an Intel Core i3 processor running at 3.06GHz. The machine included a 22-inch screen for $979. Next is a number of MacBook Pro laptops, starting at $899 for a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo-powered machine. We wrap up the day’s spotlight with the JumpStart battery pack from Philips. The gadget attaches to an iPod or iPhone via a sync cable.
Along the way, we also check out several cases for the iPad 2, as well as a video iPod and software for your Mac. As usual, details on these and many other bargains can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
Sporting Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors, powerful new graphics cards and Thunderbolt ports that can support two external monitors, the new iMac is the undisputed champion of all-in-one machines. Plus, it’s the only one out there that’s not butt ugly.
As well as being the most attractive desktop computer available, it offers just about everything modern computer users might need in a self-contained package, from a HD webcam to a gesture-sensitive trackpad.
I’ve been testing a 27-inch model with a 3.1Ghz Core i5 chip (the biggest, fastest stock model currently available at the Apple Store), and it may sound silly, but it’s almost too much machine for my needs. The screen is so big, I have to sit back lest I get motion sickness. And the i5 chip has power to spare for someone like me, who doesn’t do high-end video or graphics work.
Still, I’ll take it. If the chip is too powerful now, it sure won’t be in a couple of years.
Apple’s new family of iMac all-in-ones released earlier this week boast an Intel BD82Z68 platform controller hub that isn’t scheduled for release until May 11th. The Z68 chip, designed for Sandy Bridge 1155, was first discovered by TonyMacx86 and later confirmed in an iFixit teardown.
The Z68 allows for solid-state drive data caching when a system is equipped with a combination of storage drives. So users could install a small, relatively cheap SSD along with their traditional hard disk drive and have the SSD serve as a cache – dramatically increasing access speeds to their files and applications. The new iMacs can be ordered with both an SSD and a traditional hard disk drive installed, and the Z68 can allow users to see this combination as just one drive on their Mac.
We start off the day with a deal on a bundled Quad 3.4GHz Core i7 iMac. This desktop unit includes 8GB of RAM, a 27-inch screen and 3 years of AppleCare for just $2,599. Next is a number of MacBook Air laptops, starting at $849 for a Core 2 Duo 1.4GHz machine with 64GB of SSD memory. Finally, a deal on a 16GB iPod nano (5th generation) for $149.
Along the way, we also check out several cases for the iPad and iPhone, as well as a 27-inch LED Cinema Display for $849. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
We start the day with two MacBooks and the latest iPod nano. First up is a 1.4GHz MacBook Air laptop with a 12-inch screen for $879. Next is an 8GB current-generation iPod nano for $109. Finally, ExperCom offers a 2.4GHz MacBook Pro with 13-inch screen for $1,049.
Along the way, we also check out a quad-core i7-based MacBook Pro bundled with AppleCare, plus screen protectors for your iPhone 4 or iPad, as well as iLife software for your Mac. As usual, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
We start the day with two MacBooks in the spotlight, along with several cases for the iPad. First up is a number of MacBook Air laptops from the Apple Store, starting at $849 for a 64GB SSD model. Next is a crystal silicone case for the iPad, just one of many listed today. We wrap up the spotlight with a number of MacBook Pro units, starting at $929 for a 2.4GHz model from the Apple Store.
Along the way, we check out a deal on an 8Gn iPod nano, as well as software for your Mac. As always, details on these and many other bargains can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
The 17-inch MacBook Pro reached the end of the line back in 2012. In some ways, it’s easy to see why Apple made the decision that it did. Compared to the overwhelming popularity of its 15-inch younger brother, the 17-inch model apparently registered disappointing sales. It certainly didn’t help that it was virtually impossible to open up -- let alone comfortably use -- a 17” MacBook Pro on a train or airplane.
But there is definitely a group of power users who use their MacBooks for tasks like video editing who would welcome the return of the extra two inches of screen real estate. Especially as Apple has focused more and more on the possibility of, for instance, shooting video using your iPhone and then editing it from the back of your car, a return to the “ultimate mobile studio” would be more than welcome. Particularly if it meant we’d finally see a 17-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display.
The next revision of Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup will boast a brand new case design for the first time since the aluminum unibody models were introduced in 2008. The current lineup of MacBook Pros – which was recently refreshed earlier this year to introduce a Thunderbolt port, Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors, and new GPUs – will be the last revision before an all-new design.
A source for MacRumors has provided “reliable confirmation” that a redesign is currently in the works, however, there are currently no details on what the new MacBook Pro will look like:
Unfortunately, we have no specifics on what the next MacBook Pro might look like, though many have previously speculated that Apple will take cues from the MacBook Air line.
I’m sure previous speculation won’t be far off either. Apple’s latest MacBook Air has proven to be a huge success and at its unveiling back in October 2010, Steve Jobs hailed the device the “future of notebooks.”
My guess is that the next MacBook Pro will be at least thinner and lighter, with SSD storage and better battery life. If we’re really lucky we’ll get one of those Retina displays everyone’s talking about.
We begin with more deals on the MacBook Air, starting at $849 for a 1.4GHz machine with 64GB of SSD memory. Next is a MacBook Pro powered with a Quad Core i7 processor running at 2.2GHz. This machine with a 17-inch screen is just $2,100. Finally, we wrap up our spotlight deals with a 27-inch Apple LED Cinema Display for just $849.
Along the way, we take a peak at a number of other items, including a horn stand portable amplifier for your iPhone 4; a Bluetooth dongle for your iPod and a leather case for your iPhone 3G or 3GS. As always, details on these and many other deals can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
Samsung could be about to sell its dwindling hard disk drive business as flash memory becomes increasingly popular, according to a person “familiar with the matter.” Thanks to the success of devices such as the iPod, iPad and MacBook Air, Apple has boosted the adoption of flash memory devices and encouraged consumers to ditch standard hard drives for speedier storage.
Samsung has set a target price of $1.5 billion for its hard drive business, but the Korean company is reportedly keen to sell it for under $1 billion if the right customer comes along. The Wall Street Journal report notes that Seagate Technologies could be a candidate for the business, though neither company has commented on the rumor.
Apple is considered to be the largest consumer of flash memory in the world, and predominantly responsible for the shift away from conventional hard drives to solid state drives. It’s believed the company’s iPad is entirely responsible for the complete reorganization at Acer – whose netbooks sales were hit hard by the popular tablet.
Apple is undoubtedly responsible for my personal adoption of SSD drives; after purchasing an 11-inch MacBook Air my other Macs felt incredibly slow in comparison. It seems once you go flash, there’s no going back.
