Tags: Nokia N73, iSync, Bluetooth, Firmware, 4.0735.3.0.2

It matches my clock

Eventually I bought the MacBook from John Lewis in March, taking advantage of their extra 2 year guarantee (which you’d have to pay extra if you bought direct from Apple). I’d recommend, if you’re not a student, not buying direct from Apple. Buying from a John Lewis meant that if something goes wrong you have someone else who can moan at Apple first before you have to.

Talking of things going wrong, they did:

My first impression of the MacBook Black was how dirty it gets, any smudge finger print on the black is just far too obvious. Apple do provide you with a handy cleaning cloth, and you’re going to need it. Unless you’re less anal than me, and deal with it looking a mess. My second impression was it being a speedy machine, just what I needed. Had things not gone awry, I’d’ve kept it.

However; after a few weeks it started to make some strange static sound from the left speaker area. The sound was audible just before the start-up chime. A static blip (bip, pip, difficult to describe a static sound) followed by the chime. The sound also occurred just before any other warning sound. e.g. turning up volume, received email sound, incoming iChat message etc. Each sound was preceded by the static blip, followed by the standard sound for that application. If the blip had just occurred, it didn’t do it again for a few minutes.

What seemed more odd, was the static blip could be heard even if the MacBook was muted.

Unplugging headphones would cause the Mac to do three static blips in concession, whilst flashing the red optical light inside the headphone port.

The sound wasn’t very loud, but loud enough to be very distracting, especially when you knew it was coming. It wasn’t the hard disk, I know the noise a hard disk makes, even a failing one which is more like a ball bearing dlrrrr.

I tried resetting PRAM/PMU, no change. I reinstalled the OS, Mac OS X 10.5, no change. I even started the MacBook in Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) using external FireWire drive and still it made the static noise.

I gave up and took it back to John Lewis. I tried demonstrating the problem, which was difficult due to the ambient noise of the shop, but the assistant did manage to hear it. He pointed out that Apple could be rather difficult repairing small issues like this but said he’d talk to their main Mac guy, I also had a brief chat with him and eventually my guy came back and said they’d just replace it. That was great news and a relief.

I picked up the replacement machine the next week when they had stock. I got home and turned it. Running through the welcome to Mac animation, the music was scratchy sounding from the left speaker, uh oh. It also made the exact same blip sound before the start-up chime. This did not bode well, but it appeared not to make the blip noise again whilst running, I held my breath. The next day it started to behave just like the first, just slightly quieter, not for long. It then started to make a louder static sound from the right speaker area, which stopped, but then came back again, but even worse, alternating from the right to the left speaker whenever you turned the volume up (or as stated above, whenever any "single" sound was made). Just to add, I’d not installed anything or copied my data across.

That was it for me and I returned the MacBook for a refund which John Lewis gave back without any questions. Thank you John Lewis!

This appears to be a manufacturing fault, as it happened on two machines. I made a recording using my camera.

Tags: macbook black, static, blip

The big news from this years Macworld Expo was the MacBook Air, a super lightweight super thin notebook. It weighs just 1.36 Kg or just 3 pounds, for comparison the previous smallest notebook, the PowerBook 12" weighed 2.1 Kg.

If you travel a lot, or as my girlfriend says, find MacBooks too heavy for her lady like arms, then this is the machine for you. It may not be a super-sub-notebook, but I find it's the weight more than the size of a notebook that puts my back out and this way you still have that 13.3 inch widescreen.

It has a couple of unique features, other than the weight & how thin it is. The trackpad now supports gesturing, like you'd find on the iPhone, pinching to zoom, three finger side swipe to go back and forth on a web page. It also has an option for a solid state hard drive, 64 GB or a standard drive at 80 GB.

The Air comes as a 1.6 Ghz £1,199 or an optional 1.8 Ghz £2,028 with 2GB of memory, built in 802.11n wifi. Behind a cool flap hides the Audio Out, USB 2.0 and Micro-DVI for external monitor support and of course, a built in camera. Full specs can be found here.

What's missing is the optical drive. This reminds me of when Apple removed the old floppy drive when introducing the iMac, people got all hot and bothered about it, but now who uses floppy drives? Apple will sell you a USB optical drive (or buy a 3rd party device), but what's clever is, they've introduced some clever software, Remote Disc, which allows you to use an optical drive of another PC or Mac, just as if it were attached to your machine wirelessly. The whole point of this machine is to go wireless.

Some have complained about the built-in-battery, probably the same ones who complained about the iPod, I don't see it as much of an issue when Apple won't charge to replace it, plus it's bound to have some third-party battery replacements for those who don't mind using a screwdriver, just like the iPod. You just need to think about what you want, and if the Air ticks all your boxes, it's for you, if not there's always the MacBook and Pro.

Apple have put together a handy video tour to explain a lot of the features here.

Update: Reviews of the MacBook Air

The Ars Technica Review

MacWorld US
MacWorld US - Fitting files on
MacWorld US - Migrating

Tags: macbook air

Tags: mac pro, xserve, updates

Apple have updated their MacBook line with intel's Santa Rosa chip set, so if you have been waiting, now's the time to buy.

Clock speeds haven't changed that much, frontside bus has increased to 800mhz.

13" White 2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 80GB hard drive, GMA X3100 Graphics chip set, Combo drive £699

13" White 2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive, GMA X3100 Graphics chip set, Superdrive £829

13" Black 2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, GMA X3100 Graphics chip set, Superdrive £949

The MacBook Pro now has a 2.6Ghz option £160 and 5400rpm, 250GB hard drive £100 (7200rpm 200GB £130).

There are two models of keyboard; wired and wireless, both are reminiscent of the keyboards on the MacBooks. Wide spacing of keys etc. and made from, you got it, Aluminium!

The USB 2 wired keyboard is now much thinner than the plastic trough keyboard it replaces, I think this can only be a good thing, but why no wireless version?

The wireless Bluetooth keyboard has shrunk down, missing the numberpad, the thought behind this is you're more likely to use a wireless keyboard on your lap. Although Apple seems to have missed a trick here: What could've been an ideal keyboard for using with a MacMini under a television, or just using your iMac at more a distance has been let down due to them missing any form of pointing device. Why didn't they include a trackpad on it? So you're stuck with still needing a wireless mouse, presumably to rub on your leg?

I'd have expected something like the Keysonic ACK-540 RF, but perhaps more Apple looking.

There's been some rearrangement of keys for some functions like expose, brightness, volume etc. I'm sure that'll be something to get used to, and I expect the arrangement will find its way onto the MacBook eventually.

The other supposed controversial thing is the removal of the  - Apple symbol on the Command key, and instead the use of the words Command with the Command clover leaf symbol. I'm glad it's gone, it's done nothing but confuse people, you can read some history as to how it got there here. There is some confusion here as to whether they've removed it on the UK keyboard, the Apple still appears on the UK iMac page, but not on the US one, but; the Apple doesn't appear on the UK Keyboard page. I do hope we've not been left with the Apple, it'll just create even more confusion. It's the Command key dammit!

Update: It appears the Apple has vanished from the UK page as well, must've been a photo error.

Tags: keyboard

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Ah a new iMac, it's not so different from the last one really in looks. It's thinner and now made from Aluminium (or Aluminum) and Glass, although I'm sure there's plastic in there too, but it's got great recycling possibilities Steve Jobs said. I just thought Macs went on forever, recycle a Mac? It looks perhaps more solid than the previous white plastic model and I'm sure it'll have its instant haters and lovers, I think the complainers will just be nitpicking, I'd describe as handsome.

There is now no longer a 17" model; instead, two 20" and two 24" models.

20-inch 2.0Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
250GB HD
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT / 128MB Memory
£799

20-inch 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
320GB HD
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro / 256MB Memory
£949

24-inch 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
320GB HD
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro / 256MB Memory
£1,149

24-inch 2.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
500GB HD
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro / 256MB Memory
£1,459

Prices from the Apple Store, and full tech specs here.

Overall machines are now faster and expandable to 4GB of memory and 1 Terabyte of internal storage. Memory is easily upgraded via a slot at the bottom of the machine. All the screens are now glossy and also include Firewire 800.

They come with a Mighty Mouse and the new wired keyboard. I'd have thought they'd enclose the remote in aluminium as well, seems a strange oversight.

You can watch the new ad here.

Tags: macbook

Something that didn't get a mention at the Keynote and was quietly introduced was Apple's new AirPort Extreme base-station (Wifi router). It replaces the old domed spaceship looking one with a new Mac Mini style enclosure.

It now supports 802.11n, which Apple claim is 2.5x faster than the previous AirPort*. As well as being able to connect a printer to it via USB, you can now add a hard drive that will be available to share on the network, with zero configuration needed. You could also add a USB hub and connect multiple devices. So you'll be able to print wirelessly as well as access a hard drive for backups etc. I suspect that the the connected hard drive will work with Mac OS X 10.5's Time Machine back-up solution. AirPort Extreme will cost £119, the AirPort Express is down to £65 (I had one of these, it blew up).


There was no other Mac news, there was no super slim, smaller MacBook. They're probably having a rest having only just got all the Macs to intel. They did announce that many of the new Macs shipped support 802.11n.


The other news, Apple Computer is no more, they will now be known as Apple Inc to reflect their product line.


* A note on the speed of 802.11n. It's meant to be 5X faster and if you compare the US & UK sites you'll notice the difference. Apparently the UK doesn't allow wide-channel operation, hopefully this will change. It's also unsure if different models will be made for Europe & the US, if there is one model, it may still be possible to circumvent the low speed in the UK by using a US firmware.

iTV has now become Apple TV, that's going to save a lot of confusion in the UK.

First off, no, Apple haven't made a TV. Apple TV is a box that'll sit under your TV. Again, to get the idea watch the keynote.

Apple TV makes it easy to stream via Wi-Fi (using 802.11n) your computer's media content to your TV. It'll play your movies, podcasts, music and show your photos. It has a 40GB hard drive inside and will sync with one Mac and allow streaming from another five. Making them all easily accessed via simple interface and remote control.

Sadly, in the UK we still can't buy TV shows or films from the iTunes store, of course you can import ones you've got from other sources into iTunes and then play them via Apple TV.

It's not a PVR, you can't use it to record TV like Elgato's eyeTV. Of course, this sort of recording device will become standard with Virgin/NTL and SKY already have Sky Plus. The Apple TV is really doing something different, it's making that big widescreen HD you have slightly more useful.

Apple are really (at least in the US) trying to change the way we watch TV content. Eventually I'd imagine the idea is that you no longer pay a cable/sky/freeview type provider and instead (via iTunes) you just purchase the programmes/season of programmes/ films that you want to see. Will that be cheaper in the long run? Who knows, it might make us watch a lot less crap. It's moving from a push to a pull from the internet what content you really want to see rather than just being a couch potato. I'm sure there's room for the two to coexist.

Apple TV costs £199 and is available to buy now.

It's worth watching the Keynote of the iPhone introduction, it helps explain exactly how it works and funny to see Steve prank calling Starbucks and telling an old story of him and Woz. With the internet, iPod, Phone, Widgets, Google maps your photos, widescreen video etc all on one phone, even my girlfriend is thinking of getting one.


Of course the negative nellies of this world looked at it and instead of being impressed went for "yeah, but it doesn't do.....". Ok, so what's missing?

No iChat/Skype or instant messenger integration. Why? Probably to keep the mobile carriers happy, so you pay for SMS. One can only hope it will come, as the iPhone runs OS X, there's no technical reason why it couldn't run it, and as it's running the Safari browser, perhaps you could use an online messenger?

Other complaints, the camera isn't on the front? and it's not 3 mega-pixel. People always want more. There's no nipple on the five key? Handy if you're blind, then and no offence to the blind community, I don't suspect the iPhone is really one for you. People also want more memory, to fit more on. more more more. The battery is sealed, I'm sure like the iPods there will be a workaround for this.


Who will partner with Apple in the UK? They're only on Cingula in the states, Orange? Virgin/NTL? Vodafone? Will we be duped out of the cool visual voicemail feature? Let's hope not.


The iPhone will come in two models, a 4GB $499 and an 8GB $599. It will be available in the US in June and Europe by the last quarter of 2007. The phone is a quad-band GSM phone with EDGE, but not 3G yet, Steve said they would come. It's a multi device so the price point may seem expensive for a phone, but, it's clearly not just a phone. how much would you pay for an iPod and a cool phone? which many people do.

No matter what you feel about the iPhone, it really is a revolutionary product and one the other mobile phone makers are hardly going to ignore, pst, it also makes the Zune look even more like the first generation iPod.

* Yes, I know many won't

Apple have updated the MacBook, following on from the MacBook Pro. The MacBook now sports the intel Core 2 Duo chips. Apple claim they're 25% faster than the previous model.

13-inch: White 1.83Ghz/512Mb/60Gb Combo - £749
13-inch: White 2.0Ghz/1Gb/80Gb SuperDrive - £879
13-inch: Black 2.0Ghz/1Gb/120Gb/ SuperDrive - £999

Apple today released updated versions of the Mac Book Pro, they now boast the new intel Core Duo 2 chip. It pretty much means they're faster, Apple claims 39% faster than the previous models.

Prices:
15-inch 2.16Ghz £1349.01
15-inch 2.33Ghz £1699
17-inch 2.33Ghz £1899

Support for more memory, up to 3GB, increased storage, standard double-layer SuperDrive and ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics processor (up to 256mb Ram). They've also added Firewire 800 to the 15-inch models.

Apple have updated their Mighty Mouse by releasing a bluetooth version, that means wireless.

It's also now uses a laser, so it's more accurate. The rest is still the same, the nice little scroll ball and the awkward squeeze buttons on the side.

I'm not much of a fan of the Mighty Mouse, bar the scroll ball and much prefer Logitech's mice. They've also recently released a new wireless keyboard and mouse combination, the: Logitech Cordless Desktop S 530. Sadly though it's not Bluetooth, so you have to plug a stupid adapter into your USB port, which seems dumb. Still, you'd be using it at a desk so wouldn't matter too much.

They come in Black & White and 3 models, all with 13" widescreen.

£749: White 1.83Ghz Intel Core Duo, 512mb/60GB, Combo
£899: White 2.0Ghz Intel Core Duo, 512mb/60GB, SuperDrive
£1028.99: Black 2.0Ghz Intel Core Duo, 512mb/80GB, SuperDrive

Available now

The black one being the top of the range, which just means it has a larger HD it seems, though oddly, if you order a White MacBook with the same size hard drive, it'll still cost less than the black one. So you're paying about £90 for the colour black? Spray can anyone?

They also weigh in slightly heavier than the 12" iBook. Apple could do with a true super light portable, but you're getting a larger widescreen and they're thinner, so can't really complain? Here are the weights, old and new:

MacBook Pro 17" Weight: 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg)
iBook 14" Weight: 5.9 pounds (2.7 kg)
MacBook Pro 15" Weight: 5.6 pounds (2.54 kg)
MacBook Weight: 5.2 pounds (2.36 kg)
iBook 12" Weight: 4.9 pounds (2.2 kg)
PowerBook 12" Weight: 4.6 pounds (2.1 kg)

(Red replaced)


There's some good photos here

The first thing I think everyone will notice is the 'glossy' screen. This may take some getting used to, but is meant to give improved colour and also work better outside (because I often run outside with mine) and might cause a headache.

I've seen a glossy screened PC laptop before and wasn't to sure, it could double up as a mirror? The other thing is the new keyboard and built in iSight camera and remote control, but it's not a radical new design. I would like to see something 'new' and innovative, but if it's not broke?

One of the other cool new features I thought is the ability for a user to replace the internal hard drive, without having to take the whole thing to bits, finally getting a bigger HD will be like replacing memory. (As some older PowerBook models will know, you used to be able to slide hard drives out willy nilly)

This chap was one of the first to get his hands on one, it's a very Mac thing to take photos of unpacking your Mac but, It didn't take long for those crazy Japanese to take one apart.

I'd like one, be a lot faster than my 12" PowerBook.

With the introduction of the MacBook, Apple also increased the speed on the MacBook Pro.

Update: MacWorld US, have a nice article on the new machines, and a great photo showing the size difference between the PowerBook 12" and the new machines.