MacBook Pro

The nature of the Apple ecosystem means that many MacBook owners will also carry around an iPhone or iPad - or both. To cut down on the clutter of white Apple chargers vying for an electrical outlet in this situation, TwelveSouth has released its PlugBug accessory that piggybacks on a standard MacBook power adapter to provide an additional USB charge port to charge an aforementioned iDevice and a MacBook at the same time.  Read More

Although LaCie was quick to follow Apple's unveiling of Thunderbolt in February with a new HDD supporting the technology, there have been few ripples in the new I/O pond since. Now, after a brief false start, some new Thunderbolt-equipped RAID storage systems from Promise and a Thunderbolt cable from Apple have appeared in the Apple store.  Read More

Anyone in the market for one of Apple's new Thunderbolt-equipped 2011 MacBook Pros would be forgiven for thinking the machines only support up to 8GB (2 x 4GB) of RAM since that's what's listed on the tech specs and is the maximum build-to-order option available through Apple. However online store OWC says the new 2011 MacBook Pro models can actually support up to 16GB (2 x 8GB) and is selling the 8GB sticks you'll need to make it happen. The only catch is the price, which is more than the asking price for either of the two 2011 13-inch MacBook Pro models currently available.  Read More

I've had plenty to say about Apple's bizarre, pro user-hostile MacBook Pro I/O roadmap over the years - like the shock removal of FireWire 400 in late 2008 and the removal of ExpressCard from the 15" in 2009 - so it's incredibly refreshing to write about the inclusion of Thunderbolt, a decidedly "Pro" I/O interface with seemingly no downside, in the latest refresh.  Read More

As predicted, Apple has today revealed the details of its five new MacBook Pro updates - although the actual details are a little different to the rumors preceding the official announcement. The new line is said to be up to twice as fast as the previous generation thanks to the inclusion of next generation quad and dual core processors and high performance graphics. A new FaceTime HD camera with three times the resolution previously offered and the high performance Thunderbolt (read Light Peak) I/O technology are also included.  Read More

Apple's MacBook Pro line is due for a refresh with all the signs on the magic eight ball that is the Internet pointing to Thursday February 24 as launch day for updated MacBook Pros with Intel's latest Sandy Bridge processors. As usual, Apple has been playing its cards close to its corporate chest and hasn't confirmed (or denied) that new MacBook Pros are on the immediate horizon, but a couple of listings of unexplained MacBook Pro part numbers by retailers online may just have let the cat out of the bag before Apple has had a chance to announce the new models.  Read More

Apple has finally unveiled the long expected updates to its MacBook Pro line with faster processors, next generation NVIDIA graphics and improved battery life. The new 13-inch MacBook Pro includes faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors, while the 15-inch and 17-inch models feature Intel Core i5 and i7 processors as well as Apple’s new automatic graphics switching technology that lets users toggle between energy efficient Intel HD Graphics and the more powerful NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M processors without having to log out.  Read More

The Sumdex Aircube laptop sleeve uses "air cell technology" to spread overall pressure between air channels and provide added protection for traveling laptops. Made from durable TPU (thermoplastic urethane) and neoprene, the Aircube sleeve is similar to surrounding your precious computer in bubble wrap – only better looking and not as bulky.  Read More

If ya can’t beat 'em, look like ‘em. That seems to be the ethos at HP with the unveiling of its slim new Envy line of notebooks, which take a fair few visual cues from Apple’s MacBook Pro – not that there’s anything wrong with that.  Read More