Thunderbolt
Many have decried the lack of USB 3.0 connectivity in Apple’s latest MacBook Pro lineup, with the company instead opting for the new Thunderbolt I/O interface. Despite the lack of USB 3.0 connectivity in Apple’s current laptops, the unearthing of a patent granted to the company for a hybrid DisplayPort/USB 3.0 high speed dock connector suggests support for the high speed connection may be making its way into the next generation of Apple’s iOS devices. And with Thunderbolt using the Mini DisplayPort connector, Apple may finally be answering the call for greater connectivity options for its mobile devices. 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
No sooner has Thunderbolt – previously known as Light Peak – hit the market in the form of Apple’s new MacBook Pro lineup, than LaCie has unveiled the first of what will no doubt be a flood of new Thunderbolt-capable devices to be announced in the coming months. Thanks to the new I/O technology, which boasts data transfer speeds of 10Gbps, LaCie’s Little Big Disk can perform full system backups in minutes and deliver multiple streams of HD video while offloading content without compromising performance. 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
