Category: MacBook
October 21st, 2009
iFixit: Disassembling the new MacBook unibody
Almost immediately after being announced, iFixIt.com did a teardown (YouTube video) the new “unibody” polycarbonate MacBook.
As has been previously noted Apple has added a LED display, upgraded processor, added curves, increased battery life. Apple has also quietly removed the FireWire port, IR port, and the useful external battery indicator. iFixit notes that Apple has made the new MacBook harder to disassemble by using a combination of Phillips, tri-wing, and Torx screws.
Points of interest:
- Apple’s certainly giving us quite the screw variety on this machine. We’ve found tri-wing, Phillips #00, T6, T7, and T8 Torx screws.
- The Bluetooth antenna has been relocated to the display assembly. This is likely an attempt to improve the MacBook’s notoriously dismal Bluetooth range. On previous MacBooks the Bluetooth antenna was located above the optical drive.
- The battery is 60 watt-hours, the same capacity as the 13″ MacBook Pro. The previous plastic MacBooks featured a 55 watt-hour battery and claimed a 5-hour run time. With this machine, Apple has added 5 watt-hours of battery capacity and two hours of claimed run time.
- The new MacBook’s battery boasts a power-to-weight ratio that’s 23.5% better than its predecessor.
- Some disassembly is required to replace the battery, which is readily accessible by ordinary users with the right tools.
- Apple removed the IR port for a remote control. As far as we know, that makes this MacBook the only currently-shipping Apple laptop that doesn’t support a remote.
- FireWire is gone! If you need FireWire, only a MacBook Pro will do.
October 21st, 2009
Apple's bumper crop of fall hardware, reviewed
Apple yesterday released a cornucopia of new consumer hardware and the reviews are starting to roll in. No firm benchmarks have been conducted but several outlets have posted preliminary reviews of Apple’s Fall 2009 hardware.
Macworld likes the LED-backlit displays in the new iMac.
Apple says that the iMac screens are LED-backlit widescreen TFT active-matrix LCDs with in-plane switching technology, and can display millions of colors at all resolutions. In the past, Apple has used 6-bit displays on its 20-inch iMacs and 8-bit displays on its larger-sized iMacs.
CNet’s Dan Ackerman reviewed the Fall 2009 polycarbonate MacBook and takes issue with Apple’s nomenclature:
Unibody, Apple’s preferred term, is a bit of a misnomer, as the bottom panel is separate, as are the multiple parts that make up the lid and display.
Ackerman also notes that Apple unceremoniously removed FireWire from the new MacBook – and didn’t add an SD card slot:
FireWire fans should note that port has finally left the building. We would have thought this would be a good opportunity to add the same SD card slot found on the Pro 13-inch, but it was not to be. While we’re not regular FireWire users, this does leave Apple open to accusations of removing functionality from the system.
Macworld notes that the new Mac mini is really a wolf in sheep’s clothing:
a quick glance at the back of the new Mac mini makes it clear this is an updated machine. Instead of the FireWire 400 and four USB ports of the 2007 mini, the new model sports five USB 2.0 ports and replaces the FireWire 400 port with a faster FireWire 800 connection…
Also gone is the previous model’s DVI video port, replaced by two video ports: a mini-DVI port and a Mini DisplayPort connector like those found on the current MacBooks.
Finally, Gizmodo calls the Magic Mouse “the best mouse Apple’s made in years”
It has both right and left clicks, like the Mighty Mouse, but differentiates itself from other mice with its touch-sensitive scrolling and two-fingered gestures.
What’s your early review of the new crop of Apple hardware?
October 20th, 2009
Apple shuffles consumer lineup; iMac, MacBook, Mac mini, mouse updated
Hot on the heels of its most profitable quarter ever, Apple today announced a completely revamped consumer hardware lineup, including:
- An all new iMac line featuring LED-backlit 21.5 and 27-inch widescreen displays in a new edge-to-edge glass design and seamless aluminum enclosure. (Press release)
- The low-cost MacBook was revved with an updated polycarbonate unibody design, LED-backlit display, fixed 7-hour battery and Multi-Touch trackpad. (Press release)
- A new Mac mini got an upgraded processor, more storage and double the standard memory, starting at $599. Apple is also offering a new $999 Mac mini configuration that comes with Snow Leopard Server pre-installed. Curiously, no press release for the Mac mini.
- The Magic Mouse replaces the Mighty Mouse and is the first mouse to use Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch technology. Read more about it in David Morgenstern’s earlier post.
So far the Magic Mouse is probably the most interesting announcement of the lot. Apple has a tough time conforming the traditional mouse designs used by all other computer OEMs and has always bucked the trend with mice – for better or for worse.
What are your thoughts on the new announcements? What are you ordering?
September 17th, 2009
Battery preservation and 'Desktop Mode'
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 18th, 2009
Will your Mac boot 64-bit Snow Leopard by default? Not unless it's an Xserve
If the current developer seed (build 10A432) of Snow Leopard is indeed the Golden Master version (as has been highly rumored) only Xserves will be able to boot into 64-bit version of Mac OS 10.6 by default. All other Mac users will have to hold down the “6″ and “4″ keys at boot to load the 64-bit kernel and kexts. Every time.
OS News reports that some Macs with 64-bit processors won’t be able to load the 64-bit kernel because they have a 32-bit EFI. The seed notes explain which Macs can boot into a 64-bit kernel and drivers by default (Xserve), and which ones are only “capable” — meaning you have to hold down the 6 and 4 keys at boot.
Here’s the list:
Still not sure if your Mac has the 32 or 64-bit EFI? You can check your machine’s it by entering the following command in Terminal:
ioreg -l -p IODeviceTree | grep firmware-abiIt will return either “EFI32″ or “EFI64.”
OS News notes that only Macs with a 64-bit EFI are able to boot the 64-bit Snow Leopard kernel and kexts; an artificial limitation imposed by Apple, even though a 32-bit EFI can boot a 64-bit kernel “just fine.”
What’s worse is that even if your MacBook (non-Pro) has a 64-bit EFI, it will only be able to boot the 32-bit version of Snow Leopard because of a limitation that Apple imposes on MacBooks. The biggest roadkill on Route 64 is the original Mac Pro (which was discontinued January 8, 2008) it won’t be able to boot the 64-bit kernel and drivers either.
If you’re worried about being stuck in the slow lane with a 32-bit EFI, there’s hope. The Netkas blog has posted some workarounds for booting the x86_64 kernel on a 32-bit Mac. Also, keep in mind that it hasn’t been confirmed that 10A432 is the GM version of Snow Leopard and Apple could change the limitations above any time via an EFI update.
August 2nd, 2009
Visioning Apple's netbook futures
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.
July 19th, 2009
Users petition Apple for anti-glare screens
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
Loading ...July 15th, 2009
Apple reconsidering anti-glare screen options; users rejoice
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.
Loading ...July 2nd, 2009
The correct way to use your MacBook's battery
Recently a battery completely failed in a two-year old black 2.16GHz MacBook that was covered under AppleCare. It worked fine one day, went completely dead the next. It wouldn’t charge and no LEDs would light up. When I brought it into the genius bar at my local Apple Store I learned something interesting about the way Apple treats batteries covered under warranty.
The first thing that the tech did was run a diagnostic application on the battery from a bootable iPod nano (pictured). The application graphed the gradual decay of the battery over time and the little black dot could fall into one of two buckets: defective or consumed (not the exact terms, but you get the idea). Luckily, the little black dot on my battery fell into the defective area and was replaced.
Since batteries are consumable parts (like tires on a car) Apple doesn’t cover them indefinitely — even if the machine is covered under its AppleCare Protection Plan (APP). Batteries that are consumed are considered past their normal lifespan and will not be replaced under warranty.
One of the telling things about this particular visit to the Apple Store was something the tech told me. He said that he would replace the battery with a new one because it has be “used correctly.” When I asked him to elaborate on what that meant, he told me that Apple’s notebook batteries last longest when they’re routinely charged and discharged.
My defective battery had 200+ discharge cycles on it which means that it had be charged and discharged that many times — in Apple’s eyes more is better. He wouldn’t give me a specific cutoff point but he said that when a customers comes in with sub-70 charge cycles over 2+ years they know that it’s probably been plugged into AC power most of the time — which is not how the battery is designed to work and can lead to premature failure.
He went on to say that the chemistry inside a rechargeable battery works best when it’s used — translation: charged and discharged — and that if it’s always plugged into AC power (and fully topped off) most of the battery isn’t being used and will gradually decay. The genius helping me claimed to have 700+ charge cycles on his three-year-old battery and said that it still gets three plus hours of run time as as result.
I guess the lesson here is to unplug your MacBook and let the battery run down before recharging it.
Quick poll: Post the age and number of charge cycles on your MacBook battery in the TalkBack. (You can check the number of charge cycles in System Profiler > Power > Battery > Health Information > Cycle Count.)
May 27th, 2009
Apple quietly updates white MacBook
Under cover of darkness last night Apple silently upgraded the specs on its low-end, white MacBook notebook computer.
AppleInsider reports that the MacBook refresh came as a part of Apple’s 2009 Back-to-School promotion which offers a free iPod touch to those that purchase a new Mac for college.
The new 2.13GHz MacBook gets an incremental jump from a 2.0GHz processor and its 120GB hard drive gets replaced by a 160GB HDD. Base RAM is still 2GB but the system bus gets a boost from 667MHZ to 800MHz.
The price remains at $999 ($949 educational). AppleInsider notes that this is the second revision of the low-end MacBook this year, the other arrived on January 21st by way of an updated NVIDIA’s 9400M graphics chipset.
Not an earth-shattering upgrade, to be sure, but an nice incremental jump nonetheless for a Mac buyer on a budget.
Jason D. O'Grady is the editor of PowerPage.org, which has been publishing daily mobile technology news since December 1995. For disclosures on Jason's industry affiliations, click here or to view Jason's full profile click here.
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