Mac

Apple's new MacBook Pro with Retina Display, despite shying away from repairability and upgradability, has incorporated several big advancements. Some of these include the shift to Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 communications, but the true advancement in the new system is its high-resolution Retina Display that offers about four times the resolution of the previous 15-inch MacBook Pro.

While the new Retina Display produces very smooth text and images, it also requires specific support both in the OS and in the applications being run on the system, which can require various workarounds if you use programs and services that … Read more

Yesterday OS X developers and testers received a new build of the Mountain Lion developer preview, which implements a new emphasis on security by enhancing updating procedures. In prior versions of OS X, Apple offered options to download updates in the background and automatically check for updates, but has now provided the option to both check for important software updates daily over an encrypted connection and have them install automatically.

This new development in OS X mimics the "silent update" approach that Adobe recently added to Flash, and is a great way to enhance the security of OS … Read more

Editors' note: This post was updated October 26, 2012, with all 2012 MacBook Air and Pro reviews, including the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

As 2012 draws to a close, we've seen the death of one MacBook, the 17-inch Pro, and the addition of two new models -- 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros with thinner bodies and high-resolution Retina displays. All now have third-generation Intel Core i-series processors, Thunderbolt ports, and USB 3.0, while the two new Retina models even have HDMI outputs, a long-requested feature.

The Retina models are impressive reboots, walking the line between slim … Read more

The Retina Display MacBook Pro may have bumped into its first technical issue.

Some owners of the new laptop are posting messages at the Apple Support Communities complaining of an image persistence problem in which an image remains on the screen for several minutes after it should have faded away. As noted by AppleInsider, the lasting image is obvious only on light backgrounds and persists for around five minutes before it disappears.… Read more

MacBook Air. MacBook Pro. Once upon a time, these two products were significantly different from each other, two totally different products. That dividing line's been blurring, especially when it comes to the world of 13-inch MacBooks.

The MacBook Air used to be an underperforming, expensive laptop with stellar design, while the 13-inch Pro was a full-featured, far more robust machine. The truth is, these systems are closer in performance and price than ever before. … Read more

Windows 3.0, Windows 95, Windows 98, XP, Vista, Windows 7. Once I left DOS, I went Windows and kept with it, never feeling a need to jump to the Mac. I'd even enjoy some lighthearted mocking of my Mac friends about which OS was better. But a one-two combo last week of getting a new MacBook Pro Retina and trying Windows 8 is finally knocking me off Windows as my primary computing platform and over to the Mac.

Before I write any further, I'm not trying to ignite any Windows vs. Mac fanboy debates. Whatever works for you works for you, … Read more

Those of you who work for Apple can now enjoy a $500 discount off the purchase of a Mac and $250 off an iPad.

The new employee discounts kicked off yesterday, says 9to5Mac, and make good on a promise made by CEO Tim Cook back in January.

As usual, there's both good and bad news. The new benefits are on top of the normal 25 percent discount that Apple employees receive. But Mac minis and the new Retina MacBook Pro model are both excluded from the $500 cut in price. Other conditions apply, as detailed by Electronista.

Employees can … Read more

Yes, the MacBook Pro's Retina display does deliver the clarity we've seen from Retina on the iPhone and the iPad. But what's really impressed me is how much more the new screen can actually show on a single display. Even if going big means less than "full Retina" quality, it's still a great benefit.

My new MacBook Pro Retina arrived on Friday, far faster than I expected. I immediately headed for the settings area, to better understand how much more the 15-inch Retina screen could display versus the 15-inch screen on my … Read more

Apple's new top of the line MacBook Pro with its Retina Display packs a battery that's 23 percent larger than what can be found in the usual 15-inch MacBook Pro, and Apple seems to have passed that extra cost down to owners when the time comes to replace it.

Computerworld today notes that the price of replacing the massive battery -- which makes up more than a third of the computer's innards -- runs $199. That's up $70, or 54 percent compared to the $129 Apple currently charges to swap it out on the non-Retina 15-inch … Read more