Apple MacBook Air: Coming to an Envelope Near You
January 15, 2008
We’ve heard the rumors and have waited patiently. Apple finally announced a new line of notebook computers during Steve Jobs’ keynote speech at MacWorld 2008 today. The ultra-compact MacBook Air line is the new sibling to the existing MacBook and MacBook Pro lines.
Features include bragging rights for being “the world’s thinnest notebook,” at 0.16″ to 0.76″ - still thinner than the thinnest part of a Sony TZ series laptop. The screen is a 13.3″ widescreen backlit LCD with a magnetic latch.
The MacBook Air keyboard is familiar but now has an ambient light sensor. The new notebooks feature a multi-touch trackpad, allowing the user to double-tap and move, to rotate photos by pivoting your index finger and thumb, as well as the pinch & zoom goodness we all love from the iPhone and iPod Touch interface.
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iPhone Update Adds Some Great New Features
January 15, 2008
Apple announced several updates to the iPhone platform earlier today. The wildly popular iPhone has sold over 4 million units since going on sale just a mere 200 days ago. That averages 20,000 iPhones sold per day. In its first quarter of shipping, Apple reports that the iPhone garnered 19.5% of the US Smartphone market (coming in 2nd, just behind BlackBerry).
The update 1.1.3(4A93) was released today shortly after the Macworld Expo.
A few of the most notable updates are after the jump.
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Apple To Unleash Blue-Ray At MacWorld?
January 3, 2008
American Technology Research analyst Shawn Wu is reporting that Apple will begin shipping Blu-Ray capable drives as early as MacWorld. The drives are rumored to be part of a Mac Pro refresh and not part of the rumored laptop refresh. Apple has been a member of the Blu-Ray Disc Association since 2005 but has yet to release a single product that utilizes the high capacity HD capable DVD format.
Apple Creating OLED Keyboard?
January 3, 2008
Tied of waiting for the mythical Optimus Maximus keyboard? Apparently so is Apple. A newly published patent application reveals that Apple is hard at work on a OLED based keyboard. Each key face is a tiny OLED display that have the ability to show imagery as well as letters and numbers. This would be a perfect fit for application specific keyboard layouts for Adobe Photoshop, Final Cut Studio, etc. Hopefully we see progress on this technology in the near future.
Apple Patents Laptop Docking Station
January 3, 2008
A 2006 patent application has been published detailing Apple’s idea for an iMac-like laptop docking station. The vertical docking station looks to be similar in appearance to the popular iMac, with a slot in the side to house a laptop. A form factor such as this would utilize less desk space and streamline a users docking setup. The downside would be a display that is presumably only meant to be used with compatible laptops. No word on when and if Apple plans on pushing this idea to production. View the patent application
Axiotron ModBook Now Shipping
January 1, 2008
Ever wish you could buy a tablet PC that ran OS X? Now you can. Axiotron’s ModBook is now shipping. The ModBook is a tablet PC created using Apple’s MacBook and pressure sensitive display technology from Wacom. Prices start at $2,279.00 for the base model, including built-in GPS capabilities. While I am not interested in a table PC, I applaud Axiotron’s initial stab at filling a void in the marketplace. Click here for more on the Axiotron ModBook.
Order Starbucks On Your iPhone
December 27, 2007
Sick of waiting in long lines to get your Starbucks fix? Apparently so is Steve Jobs. Apple has filed for a patent for new technology that allows you to place an order on your iPhone and then receive notification that your order is ready to grab at a pick up station. A few taps on your iPhone while driving to Starbucks and your Gingerbread Latte is waiting for you when you walk in the door.
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Movie Rentals Coming To iTunes
December 27, 2007
Media reports claim Apple and Twentieth Century Fox have signed an agreement to allow iPod and iPhone users to rent movies through Apple’s iTunes store. The agreement will allow rentals of Fox’s latest DVD releases with a time limit attached to the movie file. Terms of the agreement, pricing, and rental duration have not been announced.
iPhone GPS On The Horizon
December 16, 2007
Hot on the heels of the debunked TomTom rumors, industrial design firm Part Foundry has released information on their upcoming iPhone GPS adapter. Dubbed the LocoGPS, Part Foundry will begin shipping the GPS adapter sometime in February for $89.
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iPod Touch knockoff debuts at just $109
December 12, 2007
The 4GB Optimus Touch is now available for purchase from MP4Nation.
The iPod Touch clone sports a 2.8-inch touchscreen display, 4GB of built-in memory, 1.3-megapixel camera, miniSD card slot, USB 2.0 connectivity, an integrated FM tuner and a stylus. We couldn’t find any good photos or other info on the build quality at the moment and there’s no word on who the actual manufacturer is. It’s most likely a company in China which would help explain the low retail pricing.
