sandy

While Dan is at the Game Developers Conference, and Joe is enjoying the lovely weather in Orlando with his son, Scott and Julie drag digital photography team member Matthew Fitzgerald to join us in a discussion on all things Apple.

As the new Sandy Bridge-based MacBook Pros finally emerge out of the woodwork into CNET labs and out for review, we talk about the new Thunderbolt technology. Matt sheds some light on what this means for him as a photographer, as well as how much (or little) this new tech will be embraced by the masses. It seemed like only yesterday (the much ignored) USB 3.0 was introduced. And as always, we continue to speculate on features for the iPad 2 and iPhone 5.

Meanwhile, Scott appears to be the only one in the room to have seen the Oscars. Matt and Julie had other things going on that night, respectively. That's just how we roll.

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Update: You can find the full review of the 15-inch MacBook Pro here.

Apple's latest MacBook Pros are here, and we have both the 13- and 15-inch models at the CNET offices. The systems are currently running our benchmark tests, but here are our initial hands-on impressions after playing around with both for several hours.

MacBook Pro, 13-inch, 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 Last year, we remarked that the popular 13-inch MacBook Pro, with its older Core 2 Duo processor, was due for an update compared with its faster 15-inch cousin. That time has come in a big way; … Read more

Update: You can find the full review of the 15-inch MacBook Pro here.

Breakout stories on key topics are below:

After weeks of a growing chorus of rumors, leaks, and anecdotal evidence, Apple today announced a series of updates to its popular MacBook Pro line of laptops.

The biggest changes are all under the hood, as first reported on CNET. The entire updated line now offers Intel's latest Sandy Bridge CPUs, which debuted last month.

Just as significantly, the new MacBook Pros are also the first products to feature Intel's new Thunderbolt technology (formerly known as Light Peak). The Thunderbolt tech is envisioned as a sort of unified successor to USB, FireWire, and DisplayPort, allowing peripherals to hypothetically carry data and video at 10Gbps. The Thunderbolt port on the MacBook Pros looks identical to (and is backwards-compatible with) existing DisplayPort connections, and--with the proper adapter cable--should also be able to interface with HDMI connections as well. (Also, note that Intel will be hosting a press event at 10 a.m. PT today at which it is widely expected to highlight its Thunderbolt/Light Peak technology in more detail. Join CNET for live coverage at that time.)

The third big change is in the laptops' internal graphics processor. Instead of the Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics previously found in these systems, the default graphics come from Intel's HD 3000 GPU, which is the improved, integrated graphics that come bundled with the current Sandy Bridge generation of Intel's Core i-series processors. For the larger 15- and 17-inch models that include discrete graphics, the GPUs now come from AMD instead of longtime rival Nvidia. … Read more

Apple's new MacBook Pros, expected to be announced tomorrow, use a copious helping of Intel technology--and even throw in a measure of silicon from Advanced Micro Devices, CNET has learned.

Thunderbolt: First things first. Intel's Light Peak technology (which Apple had a hand in implementing) has been renamed Thunderbolt, according to an industry source familiar with Apple's MacBook Pro rollout. In short, Thunderbolt is the official brand for the technology that had been codenamed Light Peak. This manifests itself in the form of a Thunderbolt connector on the new MacBooks.

Thunderbolt is a new interface that will … Read more

We've wondered when the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro would finally get a CPU upgrade. Based on leaks, it seems like that time will come soon.

The above image comes from a report from German Web site fscklog.com. It was translated and reposted at MacRumors.com.

Are these the specs for a new 13-inch MacBook Pro? We have no idea, but we hope so. A next-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, Sandy Bridge integrated graphics, and even a new high-speed data transfer port (called Thunderbolt, according to this post, most likely a renamed … Read more

Business computers have long been an area where design has started to matter, and HP's newest line of business-oriented EliteBook p- and ProBook b- and s-series laptops do their best to provide some additional style to IT-friendly computers.

We've already considered their previous ProBook models to be attractive enough to draw attention away from the rest of the consumer-focused Pavilion lineup, but the new models bridge the gap even more in terms of design. They also incorporate Intel's new second-generation Sandy Bridge CPUs, as well as USB 3.0, upgraded sound options, and HD webcams.

The EliteBook … Read more

The Dell XPS 15, though bulky, was one of our top mainstream laptops in 2010. Updates to the XPS 15 and 17 line of high-end Dell laptops retain the somewhat homely look of their predecessors, but add new second-generation Core i-series processors, upgraded graphics options, increased display resolutions, and even a few 3D models. These are the laptops announced at CES 2011, but they're finally available for purchase.

You can check out the prices for yourself, but they remain pretty affordable. While the XPS 17 with a new 1080p 3D display starts at $1,099, its specs are impressive: 2.3GHz Core i5-2410M CPU, Nvidia GeForce GT550M graphics, that revamped 1,920x1,080-pixel display, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB 7,200rpm hard drive. An entry-level non-3D XPS 17 starts at $899. … Read more

New MacBook Pro laptops will arrive from Apple this week, just in time for Steve Jobs' birthday, according to several recent reports.

The AppleInsider, an enthusiast site, reported yesterday that new MacBook Pros will be released Thursday, the same day that Apple CEO Steve Jobs turns 56.

The updated line of Apple laptops is expected to use Intel's new dual-core Sandy Bridge mobile chips, which have faced a chipset flaw and some delays. Last night, Intel released an updated price list that contained new dual-core chips.

The fastest of the Sandy Bridge chips run at 2.7GHz, according to … Read more

Presaging laptops to come from Apple and Dell, Lenovo announced an ultrathin ThinkPad today that houses Intel's newest Sandy Bridge chip.

The 14-inch Lenovo T420s is svelte for a 14-inch business laptop at 0.83-inches thick--reminiscent of the ultrathin X300 and X301. It weighs in at 3.94 pounds with a six-cell battery. Battery life can be extended up to 10 hours by adding an additional battery that goes into the optical drive bay, Ross Compton, a market manager at Lenovo's ThinkPad laptop group, told CNET today.

"We're getting 30 percent better battery life when users … Read more