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Will Windows 7 stymie Mac OS X's growth?

As of December, Apple's Mac OS X commanded 9.63 percent of the OS market, according to Net Applications, while Microsoft still led the way, accounting for more than 88 percent of the operating-system market.

But the real story behind those figures is Apple's meteoric rise in the market. Just one year prior, in December 2007, Apple controlled just 7.3 percent of the operating-system space--a record at the time.

There are numerous reasons why Mac OS X has become so popular over the past few years. Part of it can be attributed to Apple's success and its status in the industry as the most renowned and respected company to consumers. It can also be attributed to Mac OS X itself, which is easily one of the best operating systems ever made.

And most assuredly, part of the reason for Mac OS X's success is Windows Vista. Although it currently controls 21 percent of the market, it was a failure on many levels for Microsoft. Suffice it to say that compatibility issues, User Account Control annoyances, vendor and enterprise unrest, and poor PR contributed to the blunder that was Vista.

But now, as a new Microsoft operating system starts making its way to store shelves, it's incumbent upon us to forecast its expected impact. And after downloading the Windows 7 beta and immersing myself in its environment, I think I can say, both as a Mac user (I'm writing this on my iMac) and what some may call an Apple nut (I own just about every Apple product released over the past five years), Windows 7 will not only stymie Mac OS X's growth, it will push Apple's market share back down to pre-Vista levels.… Read more

Why the later launches of Chrome for Mac, Linux?

Google is finally acceding to customer demands for Mac and Linux versions of its open-source Chrome browser, promising to release full versions of Chrome for Mac and Linux in the first half of 2009.

According to Brian Rakowski, Chrome's product manager, more work is needed first:

That (Mac development) team now is able to render most Web pages pretty well. But in terms of the user experience, it's very basic. We have not spent any time building out features. We're still iterating on making it stable and getting the architecture right.

So progress needs to be made, … Read more

Intel to bring out chip for lower-cost thin laptops

Intel will bring out a new Core-architecture processor for lower-cost ultra-thin laptops later this year, according to Intel sources at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The processors will distinguish themselves by targeting a price segment below pricey ultra-portables, which typically start at around $1,500 and range all the way up to $3,000--and higher in some cases. The processors will not compete with the Atom processor that powers Netbooks, which usually top out at $500.

In this sense, the new chips will be comparable to Advanced Micro Devices' recently announced Athlon Neo processor for ultra-thin laptops priced … Read more

Is it time for a left-handed MacBook?

A few people came to my house today to watch the Baltimore Ravens steal an NFL playoff game with their usual display of vomit-forward video game violence.

When I say 'people', some, including my friend Ali, were not as fascinated with the game as with checking their friends' breast-feeding pictures on Facebook. So Ali grabbed my MacBook (black, seeing as you ask) with the intention of anti-socially networking.

She tugged at the power cable in order to plug it into the MacBook and seemed to be having trouble. After several attempts she was still not successful in making the magnetic … Read more

Groovy covers for MacBook and MacBook Pro

Carrying a Mac is a badge of honor for the technorati, but with the growing adoption of Mac notebooks and iPhone ubiquity, it might be time for a little customization.

Iamhuman introduced a new series of covers for the MacBook and MacBook Pro designed to make you feel unique amongst the millions of other people with the exact same computer as you.

Buzz Out Loud 889: Introducing the Palm Pepporoni

It's our last show from the CNET stage at CES 2009 in Las Vegas! We compare the battery charging solution for the Palm Pre to a smorgasbord of delicious food and end up hungry for pepperoni. Also, Microsoft fumbles the Windows 7 beta release and Google Chrome gets a Mac and Linux deadline. Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 889

Best of CES Awards http://ces.cnet.com/best-of-ces/

Web site problems as Windows 7 beta hits http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10138449-56.html http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10139408-100.html http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx

Apple … Read more

Chrome gets Mac deadline, extensions foundation

Showing signs that it's working to meet requests for new developments to its Chrome browser, Google on Friday said it hopes to release versions for Mac OS X and Linux by the first half of the year, and it released a new version Wednesday that paves the way for the most requested feature: extensions.

Google has high hopes for Chrome--in particular, the Internet giant wants better performance, so browsing the Web is faster and Web-based applications are more powerful. Now Google is filling in some missing pieces Chrome needs in order to attain wider usage.

Brian Rakowski, Chrome's … Read more

Intel warning casts cloud over CES

Intel's fourth-quarter warning is not only bad news but bad timing. With the Consumer Electronics Show kicking off Thursday adorned by all those bright, shiny gadgets, Intel effectively said: gadgets maybe, but not so bright and shiny.

And for an Intel warning, this one was particularly dire. The biggest chip bellwether said it now expects only $8.2 billion in revenue for the quarter, a 23 percent drop from the year-earlier period, and 20 percent from the third quarter. And this comes after issuing a warning on November 12.

So what's happening? The clearest example of the gloom … Read more

Get a refurbished MacBook Air for $999

If you were tantalized by the razor-thin MacBook Air when it debuted a year ago but disheartened by its price, here's good news: the online Apple Store is selling refurbished MacBook Air laptops for as little as $999 shipped. To put that in perspective, the least-expensive new Air sells for $1,799.

The $999 model sports a 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, and all the other standard Air features: 802.11n, a built-in Webcam, a 13.3-inch display, and so on. Read CNET's review for all the details.

Needless … Read more