September 17th, 2009

Battery preservation and 'Desktop Mode'

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 10:09 am

Categories: Battery, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

Tags: Desktop, Battery, Engineering, Jason D. O'Grady

In The correct way to use your MacBook’s battery I wrote that Apple techs recommend that you regularly charge and run down the battery in its notebooks for maximum battery performance and lifespan.

In other words – don’t leave your MacBook plugged in all the time. In Apple’s eyes having more charge cycles is better than having less, in fact, it can even deny a battery warranty claim if your battery has less than 75 charge cycles.

That post resonated with several readers that emailed me to complain that Apple should handle the whole battery charge/discharge process in software, rather than relying on users to remember to do it.

Bruce Kieffer wrote:

I’m listening to PowerPage Podcast Episode 114 and the discussion on batteries. I must say it’s a disappointment that the Mac OS isn’t smart enough to deal with all power situations. Why should I have to mess with cycling my battery? Why can’t the OS know my power habits and take care of conditioning the battery accordingly? I have a PowerBook G4 and I keep it plugged in 24/7. I think in that case the OS should be smart enough to cycle my battery for me.

While I agree with Bruce, the devil as they say, is in the details. After all, how would Apple implement such a technique that keeps the battery optimized while ensuring that you’re not left without charge at the worst possible moment in time.

Apple would have to run the battery down (via software) despite the fact that you have it plugged in.
That would invite a whole host of problems with users that need to spontaneously grab their machine only to discover that the battery is completely dead.

My suggestion is that Apple implement a “Desktop Mode” in Mac OS X that would prompt you, saying “I noticed that you haven’t unplugged your AC power connection in 30 days. Would you like me to go into Desktop Mode? More info… Yes/No”

It could explain that Desktop Mode power cycles the battery “in order to maximize its useful life” or something like that and warn users to make sure to disable Desktop Mode (in Energy Saver > Advanced?) at least 8 hours before running off battery.

Bruce responds:

The best solution would be batteries that don’t need to be cycled. Until then, I like your “Desktop Mode” idea, but it too has its problems. Most often I know in advance when I need my computer on the road. But if I have to take it out on a last minute notice, I could be in trouble if the battery was near the end of a discharge cycle. Maybe the Apple folks could set it up to discharge during down times. Say schedule it for midnight to 6 am. As it is now, I will continue with it plugged in all the time since anything else is too much work relative to any benefit I might get in extending the battery life.

What’s your solution? Do you regularly run down your MacBook battery or are you a “leave it plugged in all the time” type of person?

August 2nd, 2009

Visioning Apple's netbook futures

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 10:44 pm

Categories: 4G, MacBook, MacBook Air, YouTube, iPod

Tags: Apple Macintosh, Agent, Apple Inc., Netbook, Keyboards, Netbooks, Nettops & MIDs, Real Estate, Corporate Communications, Hardware, Peripherals

The Web is awash with visions of a forthcoming Mac netbooks, or an iPhone with a keyboard, or simply a mobile Mac that’s less expensive than the current product line.  All of these imaginings are as likely as one made by an Apple thinktank some 20 years ago and another by the Onion.

And again, it’s good to remember the almost netbook (sans net) that Apple made more than a decade ago.

In his 1987 book Odyssey, then Apple CEO John Sculley wrote about a visionary notebook called the Knowledge Navigator. The device incorporated many then-nascent technologies (and some still on the drawing board), including speech recognition and commands, software agents, real-time video chats, wireless communication, smartcard storage and broadband. It envisioned that users would able to manipulate various types of data across online libraries, much like they do on Star Trek.

A video was created of the concept. It’s interesting. The desktop of the Knowledge Navigator notebook has a bare, Mac-like interface with a trash can in the corner and a number of quaint icons of a Book and a Movie projector. There are menus for File, Network, Tools, Schedule, and Agent.

Read the rest of this entry »

July 22nd, 2009

WiFi drop-off problem still dogging MacBook lines?

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 9:59 am

Categories: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, WiFi

Tags: Router, Apple MacBook, Wireless LANs, Wi-Fi, Notebooks, Wireless And Mobility, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, David Morgenstern

Owners of the latest MacBook models are still complaining about erratic WiFi performance and drop-offs. While the postings in the discussion boards keep piling up without resolution, some point to new solutions.

I wrote about this issue more than a year ago.  At the time, some of the suggested fixes were to check interference by other routers in the area, and to forget about 802.11N compatibility. This latter issue appears to no longer be an issue.

But some owners say this problem is still be present, even on new MacBook Pro models and the MacBook Air.

Several readers found that their PCs held a wireless connection better than their Macs. Horrors! For example, here’s a letter from Canadian reader Mtbguy:

Any updates about the Mac WiFi problem? I have a PC beside my MacBook Air and it’s painful to see my Mac dropped connections and slow downloads while my PC flies like a bird on the waves of WiFi. I have tried everything and still the PC way outperforms the Mac. Mac is supposed to be the jewel of the multimedia age, but it isn’t since I can’t connect to it on Wifi, and in Mac wisdom they did not put an Ethernet connection on my new MacAir.

There are hints at fixes.

Read the rest of this entry »

July 19th, 2009

Users petition Apple for anti-glare screens

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 7:16 pm

Categories: Display, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

Tags: Apple Macintosh, Screen, Apple Inc., Blogging, Notebooks, Desktops, Internet, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason D. O'Grady

If you’re like me — and by all accounts 75 percent of you are — you don’t like glossy screens on your notebooks. The reasons are obvious and have been enumerated on this blog ad nauseum, but suffice it to say, glare.

The Queensland University of Technology has published health and safety considerations for Macs with high gloss screens in which they note:

Reflections and glare on high gloss monitor screens and their relation to the angle of the monitor screen, could cause the operator to adopt awkward postures when viewing the monitor screen and using related equipment.

Its recommendation?

Consider the purchase of other types of monitors which are not high gloss.

And they’re not alone. Plenty of articles have been written about the safety and aesthetic reasons why glossy displays simply don’t make sense on notebook computers.

If you’re also in favor of Apple bringing back anti-glare notebooks be sure to visit and post a comment at the MacMatte blog.
Photo: Digital Versus

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July 15th, 2009

Apple reconsidering anti-glare screen options; users rejoice

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 9:28 pm

Categories: Display, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

Tags: Apple MacBook, Apple Inc., Apple MacBook Pro, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason D. O'Grady

Apple slowly been converting all of its notebook and iMac displays to highly-reflective glass surfaces shortly after the release of the original iPhone in 2007. It really hit me where it hurts when Apple released the MacBook Air (my dream Mac) exclusively with a glossy screen. I complained about the issue in a January 2008 post Death to the glossy display!

The glossy screen annoys me so because of the incredible amount of glare that it reflects. Sure, it might be ok in a dimly lit studio, but as soon as you’re near an outdoor window it’s as reflective as a mirror. This effect is exponentially worse when used outdoors or in a car, train or airplane–the prime locations for using a notebook computer. Have you ever used a glossy display during the day in a vehicle? It’s horrible. Especially if you have a light-colored shirt on.

Almost 6,000 of you voted in a poll I posted on the topic with two-thirds of you claiming that you disliked glossy displays with the other third being evenly split between loving them and not caring either way. I’ve added a new poll at the end of this post to see if opinions have changed in 18 months.

In R.I.P. matte screen displays (posted October 2008) I wrote about Apple’s troubling trend toward glossy displays and how the company seemed to be ignoring the majority of its customers.

What started as an option on the MacBook Pro, became the only choice on the MacBook. Then the iMac. Then the MacBook Air. Now Apple’s gone 100 percent glossy across their entire line.

Later in October 2008 an Apple Core reader emailed me a picture which pretty much summed up how bad the reflection/glare problem can be with a glossy screens on a notebook, writing:

On the flight I decided to get some work done and was amazed at how unusable this is in non-optimal situations.  Like an airplane!? … for this picture I turned the brightness (up to) 100%, shut the window shade and this is an accurate picture of what I saw.

In January 2009, Apple appeared to concede the point that glossy screens aren’t for everyone when they announced the new 17-inch MacBook Pro with a matte screen option. The $50 upcharge for anti-glare was a bit of a slap in the face, but at least it gave users a choice. Then everything went completely down hill when Apple released the rest of the unibody MacBook Pro line with glossy-only displays.

I don’t argue that some users prefer glossy screens. I can tolerate them in indoor environments and in low light conditions. Heck, I’ll even agree that colors can appear more saturated when viewed on a glossy screen. That’s why I’m not calling for Apple to dump glossy entirely, but rather to give users the choice of anti-glare and glossy screens — for the same price.

A story published yesterday on AppleInsider gives hope to fans of anti-glare screens everywhere indicating that Apple may have realized the error of its glossy ways. AI reports that Apple is “mulling the possibility of extending anti-glare display options to more of its Macs” and that “the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros would be the most likely candidates.”

Choice is always good for the consumer, pure and simple. No matter where you stand on the glossy vs. matte debate, its hard to argue with choice.

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April 5th, 2009

Waking up your MacBook from sleep

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 10:41 pm

Categories: 10.5, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

Tags: Hard Drive, Apple Macintosh, Apple MacBook, Bluetooth Device, Font, Computer, Energy Saver Control Panel, Stein, Notebooks, Hardware

When we put our MacBooks to sleep, we hope that they will wake. Please! And we when we want them to go to sleep, we hope that they will slumber. But it always doesn’t work that way.

When running under Mac OS X Tiger (10.4), I occasionally encountered problems getting my MacBook Pro to wake from sleep. I found the following procedure helps:

1. Before I put the machine to sleep, I unplug anything connected, such as an Ethernet cable, hard drive or mouse.
2. Next I use the Sleep command under the Apple Menu to put the MacBook to sleep and I wait until the screen actually goes blank before closing the lid. I don’t just close the lid.
3. When I go to wake the MacBook, I open the machine and make sure that I don’t plug anything into the machine before I wake it.

I’ve continued this process under Mac OS X Leopard and have had no further trouble with waking from sleep.

The Energy Saver control panel defines several kinds of sleep: “computer sleep,” which is what we commonly think of as sleep, where the system sleeps; “display sleep,” where the screen goes black; and “hard disk” sleep, where the drive spins down.

According to developer Patrick Stein, the author of the free SmartSleep preference pane, there are three sleep modes that your Mac can use:

Read the rest of this entry »

March 26th, 2009

Boot time shootout: MacBook Air v. Dell Mini 9

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 4:00 am

Categories: Benchmark, MacBook Air, Netbook, Windows notebook

Tags: Apple MacBook Air, Dell Computer Corp., Apple MacBook, Apple Inc., Netbook, Netbooks, Nettops & MIDs, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason D. O'Grady

A friend forwarded me this video that compares the boot time of the MacBook Air to that of a Dell Mini 9 netbook and the results are pretty astonishing.

Keep in mind that this test is unscientific and that the MacBook Air is using a standard SATA hard drive whereas the Dell Mini 9 is using Solid State Drive (SSD). It’s also worth noting that the MBA’s Core 2 Duo processor is much faster than the Atom processor for day-to-day use. Anyone with a MBA/SSD want to do a test?

The more that I use my Mini 9 the more I realize how much Apple is missing the boat by not releasing a netbook. Apple could capture a lot of incremental revenue that they’re currently ceding to Acer, Asus and Dell by releasing a netbook. At minimum, Apple should release a mini-tablet/larger iPhone and with Bluetooth accessory support for keyboards and mice as this could possibly stem the tide.

I don’t buy for a minute that Apple’s not interested in the netbook space, it would simply be bad business for Apple to ignore this white-hot market. Unless you believe that Apple can’t make a computer under $500 that isn’t a “piece of junk” in which case, it’s admitting that its computers are overpriced. Because Dell makes a pretty darned good computer that starts at around $250.

Tip: Tycho

February 13th, 2009

Bag Friday: iSobre leather sleeves

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 11:17 am

Categories: Accessory, Bags, Cases, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

Tags: Apple MacBook Air, Apple MacBook, iSobre, Minimal 15, Exterior, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason D. O'Grady

Don’t feel like working today? Bag Friday.

Today’s installment is all about sleeves. No, not the tattoos covering your arms, leather sleeves for your electronic gear.

I reviewed the leather “manila envelope” sleeve for the MacBook Air from iSobre in June 2008 and loved it. The iSobre sleeve is a step above all the other manila sleeves that I’ve seen on the market in terms of quality and the fit and finish is impeccable. Based on my experience with the original MacBook Air sleeve, I was looking forward to iSobre’s new sleeves for non-Air MacBooks.

Read the rest of this entry »

January 26th, 2009

Quanta to release ultra-thin (1-2 cm) notebook

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 8:58 am

Categories: Hardware, MacBook Air, Rumor

Tags: Apple MacBook, Quanta, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason D. O'Grady

According to a post on DigiTimes, Quanta Computer has completed the development of a notebook with a thickness of 1-2cm (0.39-0.79 inches) and an entry-level price. Citing “industry sources” the piece goes on to say that:

Quanta is confident about the potential of the notebook, since it features higher quality than Micro-Star International’s (MSI’s) recently launched ultra-thin notebook and is lower priced than Apple’s MacBook Air, two of the product’s major competitors once it launches, noted the sources.

The article goes on to state that Quanta does not yet have a mass production schedule.

It’s worth noting that Quanta has manufactured several Apple notebooks including the the new thin and light 17-inch MacBook Pro announced during Macworld Expo 2009 according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) report.

While the new machine could be the rumored 15-inch MacBook Air revision it could just as easily be a PC notebook.

January 18th, 2009

15-inch MacBook Air rumored

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 8:59 pm

Categories: MacBook Air, Rumor

Tags: Apple MacBook Air, Apple MacBook, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason D. O'Grady

A Chinese blog posted a rumor that Apple is working on a 15-inch version of the MacBook Air, promising that more information would be available in the second half of the year.

Translated from Chinese by Google Translate, the recent entry on Apple.pro said, “It is understood that Apple is producing more than the current MBA size MacBook Air (15-inch?).”

Picture and Tip: AppleInsider.