Is Apple giving its last remaining MacBook a makeover?
(Credit: CNET)Apple is getting ready to introduce a slimmer, lighter MacBook, according to an Apple blog citing unnamed sources.
Apple's 13-inch notebook in currently undergoing an industrial redesign that will also feature new internal architecture, according to a report on AppleInsider. The redesign, which would be the entry-level machine's first overhaul in three years, is expected to be unveiled in the coming months, the site reported.
At its annual Worldwide Developer's Conference in June, Apple introduced new versions of its 13- and 15-inch notebooks that use the same battery technology found in the 17-inch models. The rebranding of the 13-inch unibody MacBook to the MacBook Pro line left the polycarbonate white plastic casing as the only true "MacBook."
That move left many speculating on the lone remaining model's chances of survival. But the MacBook remains very popular with consumers. AppleInsider notes that Apple's online store says the white MacBook is the second best-selling model behind the iMac.
Indeed, Mac sales have been very impressive lately. Data provided by market research firm IDC showed the entire PC industry down more than 3 percent for April, May, and June, but Apple sold 4 percent more computers that quarter than it did during the same quarter in 2008. The company's laptops were responsible for that surge: MacBook and MacBook Pro shipments were up 13 percent.
However, Apple typically unveils new or redesigned products at media events, but after the September 9 music event, Apple has no such events on the calendar for the rest of the year.
Riding the success of the iPhone, AT&T, apart from trying to keep the phone exclusive, seems to be learning from Apple in another way--its retail stores.
The company announced Monday that it has done a major makeover to more than 2,200 retail locations across the country. The aim is to provide consumers and small-business customers with a better hands-on experience when shopping for devices and service plans.
According to the telecom giant, the overhaul brings a refreshed, more intuitive organization of products and services. For example, all wireless devices now show up on new power-enabled displays, making it easier for customers to experience and compare features such as touch screens versus full QWERTY keyboards.
These store enhancements are also part of the company's effort to prepare for the nationwide introduction of Netbook data plans and the availability of AT&T ConnecTech services. These services include a nationwide next-day in-home service and 24-7 remote support for Netbook computers.
Personally, I think the makeover is good news. The last time I was at an AT&T store, there was not much else to do about a phone besides look at it.
However, I'd rather see AT&T overhaul its sketchy 3G connection for the iPhone, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now that would make great news.
At a garage sale in March 2009, I spied an old piece of lab equipment for sale with the word "Quantumeter" written across the front. I had no idea what it was, or if it worked, but the $10 asking price seemed reasonable for a device that looked like it fell off the back of a time machine.
After getting the Quantumeter back home, some online research turned up a vague explanation of its origins as a pseudo-scientific piece of medical equipment, used to administer low voltages of electricity to sick patients in the first half of the 20th century. As awesome as it sounds to own a vintage electro-therapy machine, in practical terms, it was actually a bit disappointing. For a device that could have been Ben Franklin's lost extra-terrestrial communicator, the Quantumeter was just a piece of turn-of-the-century hokum.
If it hadn't had such an awesome name, I might have been content to give the Quantumeter a cozy place in the attic until "Antiques Roadshow" rolled into town. Instead, I did the only thing any self-respecting geek with some soldering iron skills would do: I turned the Quantumeter into the kind of bizarre gadget it deserved to be.
Using a $70 kit from Bleep Labs (the ThingamaKIT), my father in-law's garage, and some patience from my wife, I was able to turn the Quantumeter into a blinking, bleeping, tentacled mess of nerd fun.
I've put a video of the final result below, but to see the transformation unfold, take a look at the photo gallery.... Read more
Surprise! Geeks and models actually have something in common: they're both obsessed with finding the perfect accessory. In the world of couture fashion, a subtle or blingy accessory can complete an ensemble. The same holds true for a desktop setup; third-party accessories are a simple way to add to your system without actually gutting your computer to install extra components. We've rounded up our favorite printers, speakers, hard drives, keyboards, and mice to give your computer a much-appreciated makeover.
Peep a slide show of our favorite accessories for your desktop computer.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
The truth is, some people just don't have much style; and it's up to you to usher in the revelation.
That's one way to look at a Yahoo Messenger plug-in that helps you give your buddies' avatars a makeover (see special feature for more on avatars). Back in the old days, before plug-ins were invented, we had to coax and needle our contacts for permission to outfit them with some fancy new 'dos and duds. Now we can mount an indirect atta--suggestion--for avatar rebirth, all in the name of good chatting fun.... Read more
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