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- 2011 MacBook Air benchmarks are amazing, outperforms all 2010 MacBook Pros
- Visualised: Are iPhone owners more susceptible to ads than Android?
- The best HTC Sensation accessories: premium leather! Big screen action! Double the battery life!
- New 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt display: one cable to rule them all
- 13-inch MacBook Air refresh starts at £1099, 4GB memory and 128GB storage now standard
- New Mac Mini: All the official photos!
- 11-inch MacBook Air refresh adds Core i5 and Core i7 processors, but memory and storage remain unchanged
- Confirmed: The MacBook is dead
- HTC Sensation vs Motorola Atrix
- New Mac Mini official: UK price returns to reasonable level at last
| 2011 MacBook Air benchmarks are amazing, outperforms all 2010 MacBook Pros Posted: 20 Jul 2011 09:54 AM PDT
We've been anxiously sifting through the Geekbench results browser all morning, hoping and praying that a kind soul would benchmark the new 11 or 13-inch MacBook Air. Our prayers were answered by Laptop magazine, whose report confirmed our suspicions. The new 13-inch MacBook Air earned a Geekbench score of 5860, a bump in performance of over 100 percent compared to last year's model. The 11-inch MacBook Air was even more impressive, skyrocketing from 2024 to 5040 for 149 percent increase.
To put these benchmarks into perspective, the 2010 17-inch 2.67 GHz Core i7 MacBook Pro scored 5423. For £849 the 11-inch MacBook Air offers a benchmark on par with last year's £2099 17-inch MacBook Pro. How these benchmarks translate into real world performance remains to be seen, but we'll be sure to find out in our upcoming review. Stay glued to the site as we put the 2011 MacBook Air through its paces. We have a feeling there will be a sudden surge in eBay listings for 2010 MacBook Pros. Out Now | Apple | £849 and up Related posts:
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| Visualised: Are iPhone owners more susceptible to ads than Android? Posted: 20 Jul 2011 09:24 AM PDT
Just who’s more impressionable? Join us after the break and see.
Mobile advertising agency inneractive has a fascinating infographic up this week, depicting how adverts fare on both Android and iOS. The results are fascinating: iPhone users are twice as likely to click on an advert as Android users, yet ad-supported apps continue to serve up ads for much longer on Google’s OS, wither equests peaking in the fifth month of an app’s lifecycle, as opposed to third. What you could take away from this, is that iPhone owners are much more susceptible to advertising, and loose interest in apps much more quickly. Of course it cuts both ways: it could mean that Android adverts are far less interesting, and there still aren’t as many new apps to keep owners entertained. Hit the image for the the full version and let us know in the comments what you think. Do these seem right to you?
(inneractive via PhoneArena) Related posts:
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| The best HTC Sensation accessories: premium leather! Big screen action! Double the battery life! Posted: 20 Jul 2011 08:15 AM PDT
The Sensation scored a full five out of five in our review back in May, so it's obviously a top notch handset with its sights set on the iPhone. Naturally you'll be wanting to accessorise the hell out of it, but what should be top of your wish list? We've scoured the web to bring you the best you can buy, from premium leather cases to battery packs to a desk dock that'll help you work smarter, with plenty more besides.
Handmade by leather craftsmen from high quality cow skin, this is a luxury case to shame most others. You can still access all your Sensation's functions when it's ensconced in the plush leather case, and an inner thermoplastic polymer structure protects it against knocks and drops. It even has a belt clip, which might make you look a bit like a Dad on holiday, but is handy nonetheless. It’s available in other colours as well, but there’s nothing quite like red leather.
Run out of battery nowadays and you may as well be stranded, even if you are in a buzzing metropolis. Extending the battery life of your Sensation, the PowerSkin will give you enough juice for a weekend away, with no need to pack a charger. It'll protect it too, so even if your weekend takes an unexpected turn, you'll be prepared.
Do you really want to run another cable across your desk every time you need a charge? We’ve got so many in our office it’s starting to look like a mainframe exploded. With this desk dock you can keep the leads out of sight, leaving your workspace clutter free, and helping you get on with something important, like actual work. Or Angry Birds. And it'll charge your Sensation along with a spare battery at the same time. Now that's multitasking.
Running HD footage out to a big screen used to require a mobile with an HDMI port, but not any more. This little wonder cable will let you do it from the Sensation's microUSB port, blowing up the action on the big screen for all to enjoy. Anyone around you better beware, next time you catch them unawares everyone's going to know.
Anyone remember the last time they used a keypad on a phone? Touchscreens are great, but the only problem is the smudging; after a few weeks your mobile looks like a chip shop window, which doesn’t make for a very pleasant viewing experience if you’re trying to watch a movie. Well this screen protector will keep it looking good as new, keeping dirt, finger marks, dust and scratches at bay, so everything underneath is kept in pristine condition. It's like a constant drip of botox for your mobile.
Not only is the Sensation one of the best mobiles out there, it can also double as a satnav with this handy accessory. Slap this on the windscreen and it'll sit right in it, letting you prod the screen at will, and charging it at the same time. So when you arrive at your destination, you'll be ready for action. Related posts:
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| New 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt display: one cable to rule them all Posted: 20 Jul 2011 07:47 AM PDT
Clutter is a polar opposite to Apple’s product design philosophy. Since the advent of the Magic Mouse and Apple wireless keyboard, the Cupertino camp has been focused on a streamlined design which leaves your desk looking as beautiful as your device performs. The Thunderbolt-equipped 27-inch Apple display continues in that tradition. With two channels of 10 Gbps throughput in both directions, the new port is up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0 and up to 12 times faster than Firewire 800, rightfully earning the title 'game changer'. The icing on the cake with new 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt display is that it includes the same MagSafe connector as its predecessor for powering and charging your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. The connectors sits on your desk, eliminating the need to pull out the power adapter for your notebook. From a technical standpoint the 27-inch display delivers the same 2560-by-1440 resolution, incredible 178 degree horizontal/vertical viewing angles and LED backlight technology as its predecessor.
Unlike the new MacBook Airs and Mac Mini, the Apple 27-inch Thunderbolt display is listed with a dispatch of 6-8 weeks. Price is set at £899 and you'll need a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac computer and be running OS X 10.6.8 or later. Out Now | Apple | £899 Related posts:
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| 13-inch MacBook Air refresh starts at £1099, 4GB memory and 128GB storage now standard Posted: 20 Jul 2011 07:12 AM PDT
To determine whether the you're best suited for the 11 or 13-inch MacBook Air begins with deciding if you can survive with a 1.6 GHz Core i5 processor, 2GB of memory and 64GB of flash storage. For those willing to splurge for the £999 unit, this decision is increasingly more difficult since it features the same 4GB of memory and 128GB flash storage as the £1099 13-inch unit. Thankfully, price is not the only difference. The 13-inch MacBook Air, like its name suggests, offers the same 13.3-inch high-resolution LED display (1440×900 pixel) as its predecessor. Unlike the 11-inch model which comes standard with a 1.6 GHz Core i5 processor, you'll receive a speedier 1.7GHz chip though built-to-order models will offer the same optional 1.8GHz Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache. You can now build an equally fast 11-inch MacBook Air. Dimensions wise, the 2011 13-inch MacBook Air offers and identical footprint to the late 2010 model in height, width and depth. There is, however, a subtle change in weight which is now 1.35 kg instead of 1.32 kg, but don't expect any noticeable differences when handling the unit. Like the 11-inch model, 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity, OS X Lion, Thunderbolt and Bluetooth 4.0 are now standard. Also, the FaceTime camera is not HD.
Though the 13-inch model offers a larger display, it also offers up to 7-hours of battery life, a 40 percent increase over the 5 hours of the 11-inch. However, both models feature the same 30 days of standby time. In terms of graphics chops, the 11-inch and 13-inch make use of Intel's HD Graphics 3000 processor, but the standard 11-inch model shares 256MB of DDR3 memory while the 13-inch shares 348MB. A minor detail, but a difference nonetheless. It’s also worth noting the 13-inch model includes a SD card slot like the previous generation. Whether you decide between the 13-inch or 11-inch MacBook Air today, both models feature the new backlit keyboard which includes built-in sensors that detect changes in the ambient lighting, adjusting both keyboard and display brightness automatically. Like the 11-inch models, the 13-inch MacBook Airs are listed in stock and dispatched within 24 hours. So what will it be my friends? I'm strongly considering the £999 11-inch model myself, but I can't help but think I'll need the higher native resolution of the 13-inch. Out Now | Apple | £1099 and up Related posts:
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| New Mac Mini: All the official photos! Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:43 AM PDT It wouldn’t be like us not to bring you word of a new Mac Mini without a plethora of pretty photos to go with it. Come see the Thunderbolt equipped budget(ish) desktop here in our gallery!
You don’t need us to tell you that now a great deal has changed with the new Mac Mini externally: the screw off bottom and unobdy casing are still in place. The most obvious change is the addition of a ThunderBolt port on the back for super fast file transfers. Still, feats your peepers on these and stay tuned for more: we’re expecting to get hands on with the machine tomorrow. Out Now | £from 529 | Apple Related posts:
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| Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:28 AM PDT
It should come as no surprise the the new 11-inch MacBook Air ships with OS X Lion. Cosmetically the 2011 MacBook Air remains unchanged in height, still ranging between 0.3 and 1.7 cm. Width has increased a every so slightly, up from 29.95 cm to 30 cm while depth is still 19.2 cm. The weight of the 11-inch model is now 1.08 kg, up from 1.06 kg and battery life is rated at up to five hours. Flip open the lid of the 11-inch MacBook Air and you'll be greeted with a new backlit keyboard which features built-in sensors that detect changes in the ambient lighting, adjusting both keyboard and display brightness automatically. Like the rumors suggested, Apple has included a single high-speed Thunderbolt I/O port which pairs nicely with the new Thunderbolt display (also announced today). Now it's time for the meat and potatoes of the 2011 MacBook Air refresh, the processors. Both 11-inch models comes standard with 1.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 chips with 3MB shared L3 cache. An optional dual-core 1.8 GHz Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache is available for built-to order (BTO) units. One subtle, yet extremely important change is that the £999 model comes standard with 4GB of memory. The previous generation only offered 4GB as an upgrade in BTO units.
Leading into today's release, word on the street was 128GB of storage and 4GB of memory were standard configurations so you can understand our surprise when we saw the baseline 11-inch £849 model offers the same 2GB/64GB as its predecessor. The only difference is that instead of 1066MHz DDR3 memory, the new models use 1333MHz. A second shocker was the lack of a FaceTime HD camera which might be due to the change from Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics to Intel HD graphics 3000. One tidbit of technical detail which seems to have flown under the radar in other coverage is the 2011 models features Bluetooth 4.0 and not Bluetooth 2.1+EDR like the previous generation. Wi-Fi connectivity remains compatible with standard 802.11a/b/g/n and the 11.6-inch high-resolution LED-backlit glossy widescreen display is still perfectly crisp with its native 1366 by 768 pixel resolution. Both 11-inch MacBook Airs are listed as in stock and dispatched within 24 hours. If you've been patiently holding off on purchasing a MacBook Air, it's officially go time so have at it. Anyone else placing an order today? Out Now | Apple | £849 and up Related posts:
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| Confirmed: The MacBook is dead Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:20 AM PDT UPDATE: Apple will continue to sell the MacBook to educational institutions through resellers, it appears, but otherwise, it’s RIP. BREAKING: The Apple is store is flush with new models right now, including a new MacBook Air and a Mac Mini. But look a bit closer, and you’ll see something iconic is missing: the original, plastic, white MacBook. We’ve just confirmed with Apple that the MacBook line which started it all has now been discontinued. No reason was supplied but it’s not hard to see why it makes business sense: Apple already sells a similarly sized 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air (both for higher pricetags), while providing a budget OS X option with the Mac Mini. So here’s to you, original MacBook. We had some times together. Related posts:
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| HTC Sensation vs Motorola Atrix Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:12 AM PDT In the battle of the HTC Sensation and Motorola Atrix, it's young pretender versus old veteran. Moto's Android 2.2 blower has been doing the rounds since early 2011 and comes with a surfeit of cool features, such as fingerprint recognition and the ability to function as a laptop. However, is this going to be enough to stop the fresh-faced newcomer that is the HTC Sensation, with Android 2.3 in its pocket and a larger screen to boot? Feast your eyes on the results…
Further reading: Screen
At 4-inches, the screen on the Motorola Atrix could hardly be described as small. It's bigger than the one seen on the iPhone 4, yet it boasts a similar eye-searing resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, making it one of the sharpest displays available on any smartphone.
However, the display on the HTC Sensation is slightly larger at 4.3-inches, and it boasts the same incredible resolution. The Super LCD tech used on the screen is also slightly more impressive than the dingy old TFT display the Atrix is packing. Round one to HTC, then. Operating System
Because the Motorola Atrix is getting on a bit now, it should come as no great shock to learn that it isn't running the very latest version of Android. With 2.2 – also known as Froyo – on board, the Atrix is perfectly capable of accessing the Android Market, running apps, playing games and performing all sorts of smartphone-related activities, but the catch is that it lacks the refinements that Android 2.3 (Gingerbread to you and me) brings. As a more recent release, the HTC Sensation comes preloaded with Android 2.3. It also has HTC's excellent Sense UI to back up this power, and when placed alongside the rather tired version of MotoBlur that is used on the Atrix, the difference between the two phones is like night and day. Under the hood
Both of these plucky challengers are sporting a dual-core processor, which puts them at the forefront of smartphone power. Sadly, the Atrix shows its age. As one of the first Android phones to utilize dual-core tech, it's lagging behind its rivals. The 1GHz CPU is still a beast though, and there are few apps and games that can force it to break a sweat. Unfortunately, the younger of the two handsets once again takes the spoils. The HTC Sensation has a 1.2GHz dual-core processor which undeniably gives it the edge. However, one area where the Atrix scores points over its competitor is storage space – it has 8GB of internal memory for music, videos, photos and apps, and this total can be added to using MicroSD cards. The Sensation is limited to 1GB of built-in memory, but it does at least come with an 8GB MicroSD card. It's also worth noting while the Motorola Atrix can be hooked up directly to your television via its HDMI port, the HTC Sensation requires an additional adapter to be purchased before it can do the same party trick. CameraThe Motorola's Atrix's 5 megapixel snapper is hardly groundbreaking by modern standards, but the quality of the shots it takes and the 720p video it records is pleasing nonetheless. However, when compared to the 8 megapixel camera contained with the HTC Sensation, it's clear which one comes out on top. Not only does it grab lovely shots, but it can also record in full HD – that's 1080p, in case you were wondering – and this makes it the smart choice for pocket-sized directors. HTC Sensation 1080p HD video sample: Motorola Atrix 720p HD video sample: VerdictThe Motorola Atrix was a great phone when it was launched early this year, and the fingerprint sensor and laptop dock are sure to have tech-heads clapping their hands with glee. However, in the cold light of day it's obvious that the Atrix is outperformed in all but a few areas of functionality by the newer, leaner and sexier HTC Sensation. It has a bigger screen, a more aesthetically pleasing design and better software. Related posts:
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| New Mac Mini official: UK price returns to reasonable level at last Posted: 20 Jul 2011 05:55 AM PDT
The specs for the new Mac Mini line are not surprising, but very welcome nonetheless. The entry level new Mac Mini comes with an Intel Core i5 2.3GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, integrated Intel graphics and OS X Lion pre-installed. Check out our best Mac Top 5 right here The higher-end £699 2.5GHz Core i5 option meanwhile sports 4GB of memory and AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics., while a server option offers a 2GHZ quad-core Core i7 CPU, 4GB of RAM and twin 500GB hard drives for £849. The big news though is the major price slash on the entry level new Mac Mini. We bemoaned last year’s refresh for adding an extra £150 on the older £499 model, and now we’re back to a more reasonable £529. We’ll be tracking one down for a full review just as soon as we can, so stay tuned. Out Now | £from 529 | Apple Related posts:
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