2010 — Year of the Touch Tablet? October 5, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Apple, Hardware, Microsoft.add a comment
One way or another it seems that touch tablet computers are on their way. Archos just released an Internet media device based on Google’s Android OS. And that is just the beginning — rumors say the big guns, Apple and Microsoft, will have their tablets in stores by mid-2010.
Before every Apple event in recent memory, the speculation has been that Apple is about announce a new tablet device. It looks like this may finally come to pass. The latest reports say Steve Jobs has dedicated most of his time since his return to Apple on the new tablet. In some sense, Apple already has a small tablet in the forms of the iPhone and iPod Touch. The new device would probably be based on the iPhone OS and announced in January for release in the summer of 2010. The 6-month lead time makes sense because it gives iPhone developers time to integrate their apps into the new platform.
Recently Gizmodo offered a glimpse of Microsoft’s Courier project, a tablet with two side-by-side touch screens. The user interface is not what you might expect from the maker of Windows — it no doubt incorporates some of Microsoft’s Surface technology. Gizmodo’s video describes the Courier as an “infinite journal”. It looks like it might be the ideal note-taking device.
But do consumers really want a tablet device? Before I got an iPhone, I would have thought a computer without an actual keyboard was useless. However, with dynamic spell checking to correct typos, the iPhone’s virtual keyboard works much better than I would have expected. The touch interfaces are intuitive and ideal for browsing the Internet. Simple tasks shouldn’t require a large computer and keyboard. The Apple and Microsoft tablets would be for people who appreciate the portability of an iPhone/iPod Touch but prefer a larger screen.
Of course, the idea of a tablet device is nothing new. Personal digital assistants have been around since the days of the Apple Newton and Palm handhelds. The Newton was ahead of its time. Computer technology has advanced considerably in last 15 years and hopefully the new tablets will be more successful than their 20th century predecessors.
Those who don’t remember the original PDA built by Apple might find this old Welcome to Newton video amusing:
vimeo 6820724]
Zune HD vs. iPod Touch September 21, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Hardware, Zune, iPod.1 comment so far
Last week Microsoft released the 4th generation of their MP3 player, the Zune HD just days after Apple announced their latest revision of the iPod Touch. Like the Touch, the Zune HD has a large touch screen with a single button (no more squircle). Both devices include an Internet browser and allow wireless downloads of music and video. It’s clear Microsoft intends this device to compete directly with the iPod Touch, so here’s a brief comparison between the two products.
First, the Zune HD is only being sold in the United States. So if you live anywhere else, the Zune is not even an option.
The Zune HD is lighter and slightly smaller than the iPod Touch. The Zune HD comes with a touch interface that is on par with Apple’s innovative design. The Zune also has a number of features not offered on the iPod:
- a high-contrast OLED screen which gives blacker blacks
- the ability to output 720p video to an external HDTV (with the addition of the optional AV dock)
- an FM HD radio tuner (and if you hear a song you like you can purchase it directly from the radio player)
- wireless syncing to a computer
- music subscription via Zune Pass
Zune Pass is perhaps the greatest feature of the Zune. For $14.99 a month, you are allowed unlimited downloads from the Zune Marketplace. In addition, you are able to download 10 songs a month which you can keep forever. If you listen to a lot of music this is a great way to go.
Apple’s strong point is their App Store. Microsoft has said that they will support games on the Zune, but so far there is nothing to compare with what is available for the iPod Touch. If you want to play games or run any of the nifty apps, you want to stick with the iPod Touch.
The low-end iPod Touch is slightly less expensive, but it is slower and only holds 8GB. For an extra $20, the low-end Zune holds twice as much music, photos and videos. The 16GB iPod Touch is $299, which is $10 more that the platinum Zune HD which holds 32GB. Overall, the Zunes are more affordable than the Touches.
There has been a lot of speculation that the latest revision of the iPod Touch was going to include a camera, but for some reason Apple decided to leave it out. Apple did introduce a new iPod Nano with a camera. A Touch with a camera may eventually become available, but probably not this year. If you are willing to pay the service charges, the iPhone 3Gs is a great phone and MP3 player that has Internet connectivity even if a Wi-Fi hotspot is unavailable.
But if you live in the United States and listen to lots of music, you might want to give the Zune HD a good look.
For more information, see Andy Ihnatko’s review of the Zune HD. Paul Thurott also has a detailed review and a handy table that compares the Zune HD with the iPod Touch. Update» Also check out the CNET Prizefight: Apple iPod Touch vs. Microsoft Zune HD video comparison of the two products.
This Zune HD Grand Tour video below gives one of the better demos of the new product:
iPhone App Organizer September 9, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Software, iPhone, iPod.add a comment
Apple held their fall iPod press event today (the video is available here). Steve Jobs took the stage to a thunderous applause. The Apple CEO is back after recovering from a liver transplant earlier this year.
All four flavors of iPods have been updated. The big news is the iPod Nano now comes with a video camera, microphone, speaker, FM radio and pedometer (starting at $149 US). The iPod Touch (still the “funnest iPod ever”) gets a 50% improvement in speed, but not the widely rumored camera — it starts at $199 US for the 8GB model. The iPod Classic price stays the same ($249 US), but now holds 160GB of music. The iPod Shuffle now comes in various colors starting at $59 US.
That’s all well and good, but as an avid iPhone user, the big news for me was the announcement of iTunes 9 and the release of iPhone OS 3.1. The most welcome feature is the ability to organize the applications using iTunes.
It has been possible to move the application icons from page to page on the phone itself, but it is a long, painful process. Now iTunes 9 makes it easy to place icons on any page. Just connect your iPhone or iPod Touch, select the device in iTunes. The new Applications tab provides three columns:
- a list of all the applications on the left
- a simulation of the iPhone screen to the right
- and a column of thumbnails for each page on the far right
The apps can be moved around on the screen or dropped onto one of the page thumbnails. Multiple app icons can be selected by pressing the command key and clicking. If you are not sure which page holds the app, double-click the app in the list on the left and it jumps directly to that page. To save space on the iPhone, you can uncheck the app in the list.
Finally apps can be organized on the iPhone without spending half a day moving wiggling icons one by one.
The iTunes store also gets a new layout. Ringtones are available for $1.29. A new category of albums, iTunes LP, come with liner notes and extra features. Home Sharing lets you transfer music and media between different computers on your personal network.
Apple has put a lot of work into iTunes and it has paid off. They are the #1 music retailer and the new features and ease of use of their new store should place them yet another step ahead of the competition.
Snow Leopard Arrives September 1, 2009
Posted by cuyler in MacBook, Software.add a comment
I bought my 13″ MacBook Pro a couple of months ago and immediately signed up for the $9.95 Snow Leopard Up-to-Date program. The package arrived earlier today and I’ve got it installed. I will replace this post with a short review as I try it out. My first impression is: it’s just a nicer Leopard.
For more information, MacRumors provides a nice list of Snow Leopard reviews:
Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun-Times
Walt Mossberg, The Wall Street Journal
Jason Parker, CNET
David Pogue, The New York Times
Jason Snell, Macworld
September 9th Apple Event August 17, 2009
Posted by cuyler in iPod.add a comment
Hold on to your iPods! Apple is holding a “rock and roll” press event on Wednesday, September 9th. Apple is expected to announce updates to the iPod line and iTunes 9 (perhaps why the event is scheduled for the 9th). The new version of iTunes is expected to have Blu-ray support and social network integration.
Speculation is that new versions of the iPod Touch and iPod Nano will include a camera.
Apparently there will be no announcement of a new tablet computer that has been widely rumored. Speculation is that a tablet device will come out sometime in early 2010.
It would be wonderful if Steve Jobs handles the presentation next month, but I might think Apple wants him to keep a low profile. Steve Jobs is unquestionably important, but Apple shouldn’t want investors to equate the health of Steve Jobs with the health of the company.
Update»
September 9, 2009 is a big day the Beatles. They are releasing their digitally remastered catalogue that day (9/9/9). In addition, it is the release date for The Beatles: Rock Band video game. Could this also be the day that the entire Beatles collection is finally available on iTunes?
It may be that Apple also announces an update to the iPhone OS that enables MMS for AT&T customers. (Update — on September 3rd, AT&T announced MMS will be available for the iPhone on the 25th).
SMS vs. the iPhone August 1, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Software, iPhone.add a comment
Apple released software update 3.0.1 for the iPhone OS which protects against attacks via malicious SMS messages. Mac Hacker Charlie Miller discovered this security vulnerability and presented it at the Black Hat security conference on Thursday.
I am amazed that an SMS message can completely take over a phone. It doesn’t seem like a simple text message could execute code. But the iPhone bug allowed the attacker to completely take over the phone and have it send private information back to the attacker including it present location via the GPS. And it is not just the iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile phones have similar vulnerabilities.
And if that is not enough, Miller’s fellow security researcher, Dino Dai Zovi, presented a new way for a rootkit to be installed on the OS X operating system (which is used for both the iPhone and Macs). Rootkits are a common way for malicious software such as botnets to hide on a computer.
Apple ads like to point out how vulnerable PCs are are to viruses and malware, but the truth is no computer software is immune to attack — there are more PCs than Macs and that makes Windows a more attractive platform for malware developers.
The good news is that even though Miller says Apple was slow to provide a fix (he told them about the problem some time ago), Apple did provide an update for the iPhone the day after Miller’s presentation at Black Hat. It would be a good idea for everyone to update to the latest version of the iPhone software.
Personally, I wish there was a way to block SMS messages altogether. I’ve always preferred to send e-mail over text messages and it seems silly that a short text costs extra. But I suppose blocking SMS will never be an option since the carriers must make a bundle from those texting plans.
Snow Leopard is Coming July 27, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Apple, Software.add a comment
Apple’s next version of their OS X operating system, nick-named Snow Leopard, is due sometime in September. This weekend Apple released some of the new background art.
Snow Leopard does not include a great many new features, instead Apple bills it as a set of “enhancements and refinements“. Much of the code has been rewritten to be smaller and more efficient. New applications can take advantage of improved multitasking (Grand Central Station and OpenCL) and 64-bit memory access. It is a tune-up of Leopard, much like Windows 7 is a tune-up of Vista. (For a little fun, see The Onion’s comparison of Snow Leopard and Windows 7)
If you purchased a Mac after June 8th, you probably qualify to upgrade to Snow Leopard for $9.95 (US) plus sales tax. This is a limited time offer and you must apply within 90 days of purchase. Go to Apple’s website for details on their Snow Leopard up-to-date program.
Other Mac users can upgrade from Leopard to Snow Leopard for $29 (US). The family pack version, which lets you install on up to 5 computers, is $49 (US).
Snow Leopard only runs on computers with an Intel processor — so users with older PowerPC machines will need to stick with Leopard. Otherwise, I think most people will want to upgrade.
Update»
It’s official — Snow Leopard ships this Friday, August 28th.
Why I Chose the 13″ MacBook Pro June 22, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Hardware, MacBook.add a comment
I just ordered the mid-2009 13″ MacBook Pro. Even though I do not have it my hands yet, I thought I would share why I chose it over other laptops.
First of all, I love the aluminum unibody design. The fit and finish is unlike anything I have seen before — the whole unit has a solid feel. Laptops get a lot of wear and tear while being carted around and Apple’s rigid construction feels like it can take a lot of punishment. The silver matte finish with black keys looks nice as well.
I must say I like the MacBook Pro’s large, glass trackpad that also operates as a mouse button. At first, I was skeptical about the lack of separate buttons, but the trackpad gives a nice response when pressed and I had no trouble clicking just when I wanted it. Right clicks are accomplished by pressing with two fingers instead of one. Fingers glide easily over the glass surface and the operating system allows multi-touch gestures to expose and switch between applications. I have feeling I am going enjoy using the finger swipes over pressing Alt-Tab all the time.
All the MacBook Pros now have a built-in battery that provides long life between charges (up to 7 hours on the 13″ model). The downside is that the batteries cannot simply be swapped out when they reach their end-of-life. Apple says their smart charging method allows up to 1000 recharges and batteries should last for up to 5 years. Since this is a new technology, I am not sure we really know if the batteries will live up to Apple’s claims, but let’s hope they do — I am all in favor of longer battery life. However, the inability to swap in a fresh battery could be a big issue for people that take long intercontinental plane trips.
All the MacBook Pros have LED backlit displays that provide a larger color gamut. This is a big improvement over the MacBook and is a major plus for art and photography applications. A lot of people complain the glossy display makes the MacBook Pros hard to use outdoors. That may be, but I like the sharpness of the glossy screen and mostly use laptops under indoor lighting. Since I wear eyeglasses, I may be used to ignoring stray reflections, but I can see how this might annoy some users.
Other improvements over the previous unibody MacBook are the inclusion of a FireWire 800 port and support for up to 8GB of RAM. Currently, the cost of a full 8GB of memory is prohibitively expensive, but 4GB is quite reasonable. Eventually memory prices should drop and the MacBook Pro can be inexpensively upgraded to its full potential. The support for more RAM is a welcome feature as we enter the age of 64-bit operating systems.
All MacBook Pros now include the keyboard which automatically lights up as the room light dims. This can be demonstrated by covering the built-in iSight camera with a thumb. I am not sure if this is an essential feature (especially for touch typists), but I think it will be useful for picking out the correct function keys after dark.
MacBook Pro is a reasonable value for the money, but there is no question cheaper laptops are available. Like Lauren, you can purchase a Windows laptop for less money. I leave it to others to argue the merits of one operating system over the other. However, if I was going to purchase a Windows laptop or netbook at this point, I would definitely wait for the release of Windows 7 since everyone will want the new version when it comes out in late October. Apple is also coming out with a new version of their operating system, Snow Leopard, which purchasers of the new MacBook Pros can upgrade this fall for $9.95.
What don’t I like? The 13″ and 15″ MacBook Pros do not have an ExpressCard slot which limits their expandability. Apple is probably right that most users will be satisfied with the SD slot, but there are probably a lot of pro photographers that would prefer to insert their compact flash card.
Apple initially had an issue with a lowered SATA bus speed. However, Apple addressed this with a firmware update today. It has only been a week since this issue was reported and Apple’s rapid response actually builds my confidenence in their support team.
The NVIDIA 9400M graphics chip should be adequate for anyone that in not into heavy gaming or 3D rendering. 3D graphic designers might want to consider one of the higher end MacBook Pros that have a separate graphics processor. Hard core gamers should probably invest in a PC.
Finally, when are we going to see the inclusion of a Blu-ray drive? I guess there are loads of licensing issues that still need to be worked out, but a writable Blu-ray drive is still on my wish list.
The 13″ model is perfect for someone like me that likes a light laptop that’s easy to carry around. The MacBook Air is even more portable, but it has less battery life and is not as expandable (plus it is convenient having a built-in DVD drive). If I want to do work on a larger screen, it is easy enough to plug the laptop into standalone display and then the MacBook Pro becomes a desktop machine.
The 13″ MacBook Pro is ideal for a software developer on the move. Xcode, the OS X software environment can be downloaded from Apple for free. Because the Macs are Intel-based, they can still be used to run Windows, either through Apple’s Boot Camp or virtual machine applications such as Parallels or Fusion. I can tell you, I would have loved to have a MacBook Pro when I had to march 20 minutes to campus for computer science classes.
Apple SATA Down June 15, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Hardware, MacBook.add a comment
There are concerns this week that the SATA bus speed on the new MacBook Pro 13″ and 15″ models have been downgraded to 1.5Gbs. Strangely, the MacBook Pro 17″, the MacBook Air and the even the white MacBook still run at 3.0Gbs. No one seems to know why this change was made as the MacBook Pro chipset has not changed since the last revision and it should be capable of handling the higher rate. So far, Apple has not commented on this issue.
The consensus seems to be that the lowered SATA speed should only affect users planning to install a high-speed Solid State Drive (SSD), since no hard drives are capable of saturating the SATA bus even at 1.5Gbs. AnandTech suggests that except when transferring large files, even the high-speed SSDs should not show much degradation.
Personally, I can see upgrading to an SSD next year after prices drop. I understand why people spending $600 on fast drives today are upset to learn their new MacBook Pro is artificially limiting their speed. It’s not clear why this was done and I hope Apple addresses this issue in the near future.
Update»
On June 22, Apple released an EFI firmware update that fixes the slow SATA issue. It has been just a little over a week since new MacBook Pro users discovered the problem and Apple was quick to respond with a fix. This issue has raised my awareness of problems with SSDs and I have started to investigate the pros and cons of this relatively new technology.
New MacBook Pros at WWDC 2009 June 8, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Hardware, MacBook.add a comment
I am excited about the new MacBook Pros announced during WWDC, Apple’s World-Wide Developer Conference. I was waiting for this year’s keynote before ordering a MacBook. I like the solid aluminum “unibody” — it looks nice and feels durable. I was hoping that Apple might announce the pending release of Snow Leopard, the next version of the OS X operating system — I wanted to avoid spending an extra $129 to upgrade in a few months.
Well, not only did Apple announce Snow Leopard will be available late September, but Leopard users can upgrade for just $29 (or $10 if you buy your Mac after June 8th). That’s a good deal and most Mac users should upgrade their systems. But only if your Mac has an Intel processor — the old PowerPC systems will no longer be supported.
There weren’t many rumors about new MacBooks, but Apple upgraded their MacBook Pro line and reduced prices. The 13″ aluminum MacBook is now categorized as a “Pro”. It gets the LED-backlit screen, an SD slot and a FireWire 800 port — all desirable features that were missing on the previous model. All MacBook Pros now get the illuminated keyboard which is probably not essential, but sounds like it could be handy. There is still no express card slot, but Apple is probably right that most users will not need one. All of the new MacBook Pros now have the non-replaceable batteries. These are reported to offer great battery life and should not need replacement for years.
While I would love a large, 17″ screen, I don’t want to spend the money and I like the portability of the small 13″. Apple also upgraded and lowered the price on the MacBook Air, but I do not want to give up the DVD and extra ports. I am sure I will be ordering a new MacBook in the next few weeks.
