MacSwitching.com > Apple announces

You know, every time (just like today’s MacBook Pro with Core 2 Duo) Steve announces, introduces and explains a brand new toy with an apple on it he uses a typical word.

Ok, this video may recall us this simple word, or not?

Let’s move from Core Duo to Core 2 Duo!
Apple announces the new MacBook Pros: 15″ and 17″ with 2,16 GHz or 2,33 GHz Core 2 Duo processors, X1600 with 128 and 256 MB (even on the 15″), Dual Layer SuperDrive and Firewire 800 back on board!

Same specifications as before: Front Row, built-in iSight and much more but, as it seems from first these MacBook Pros show off a new logic board as well.

The only remaining issue is about heating problems: are they now solved?
Is now the coolest notebook computer on earth even a cool device in Farenheit/Celsius???

In early 2007, the recently-announced Apple iTV will debut but right now we’re able to have a look at it and time to think what we will with it!
In short, could the iTV be considered just like a well-grown-up version of the Airport Express, in terms of streaming (video) content wirelessly from iTunes?
Check out for yourself: as far as it concerns myself, I’m looking forward for some smart hacking of this cool device.

Click here to watch the CNET first look video on Apple’s iTV

Among all news and new products introduced yesterday, I’d like to highlight iTunes 7 since it features a really nice interface.

iTunes 7

Complete support for new media and contents (more on this later), some interface redesigns along with a new, blueish icon, and a brand new way of browsing through your albums.

We often hear complaints from people missing their album collection and the pleasure of browsing through CD covers: no longer should they complain about it!

iTunes 7 allows Mac and PC users to visually browse like nothing else through their albums with stunning graphics.

This FrontRow-style interface comes from a previous iTunes 6 plug-in from the guys at Steelskies: CoverFlow, the name of this plug-in has been incorporated into iTunes 7; check SteelSkies for more details on CoverFlow.

Check full article about new iPod and iTunes on iPodPalace.com

Three new models: 17″, 20″ and a gorgeous 24″, Core Duo 2 64 bit processor ranging from 1.83 GHz to 2.33 GHz.

Up to 500 GB hard disk and three different graphics board: from Intel’s GMA 950 to ATI’s Radeon X1600 up to NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 128 MB of DDR3 memory.

Prices from US$ 999 up to US$ 2.249 for the high-end 24″ with 2.33 GHz model.

Check the new iMac specs on Apple’s web site.

News.com reports about a pretty problem with G4 iBooks (12″) and Powerbooks (12″ and 15″).

This time it’s no joke for Apple users (and Apple as well) about Dell notebooks or any other Win-portable: it’s about iBooks and Powerbooks batteries (maybe) overheating.

I just checked mine and, yes, it’s in the list.
A simple procedure on Apple web site will allow you to check the battery and the notebook serial number if it fits in the ‘black list’ range.

Check here the full story on News.com and then go to Apple’s web page and check your own G4.

After a lot of rumors, Steve finally unveiled the Mac Pro, the powerful desktop which replaces the [still] powerful G5.
Same case, Quad Xeon 64 Bit Intel processor, up to three graphics board and full expandability are among its features, but further investigation is required.
High end graphics are provided by a trio of graphics board, two from NVidia and an ATI X1900 in the middle.
All in all thousands of BTO options.

As expected, Steve let the world have a first look at Leopard along with its Time Machine feature, a totally new, automatic backup and version-control application.

That might sound decidedly not sexy, but Time Machine marries powerful potential with an interface that makes most of the proposed forthcoming Windows Vista user-interface features look old hat.

Selecting an item and invoking Time Machine replaces the standard interface with a starry background, a time scale on the right, and past versions of the item floating “behind” the current version.

Users can scroll back in time and review past versions; when they find the desired one, they can drag it to the present. Time Machine can also automatically back up entire systems, along with any changes made to an external hard drive or a server.

Apple claims that even if your hard drive dies, you can use Time Machine to restore your system to a new drive.

Of course you should watch by yourself Steve’s keynote.

Note: this is all based on web articles and Apple releases, still no hands-on experience on Leopard, so stay tuned.

[to be continued & expanded as news grow]

First-hand experience on the new MacBook this morning!
Along with several Mac-fans / switchers / users / pros, I’ve been testing, touchin’ and weighin’ the brand new MacBook.
Click on pictures to see them enlarged.
First impressions.
Great screen: a glossy screen it’s a first-time-ever on a Mac, but it’s welcome. The black MacBook really shines (!) when it comes to show off a Keynote presentation and the backlit Apple logo on the cover it’s really cool.
Weight: I’d expect a lighter MacBook but it’s ok after all, and the size allows to slip it in the backpack comfortably.
Keyboard: reminding of the early 80’s and Sinclair keyboard I was quite worried about this new keyboard. No problem at all: both layout and key placement are pretty good and get you up and running/typing really easily. The keyboard seems to be more protected than before from dust.
Huge touchpad: you have to see how large it is…
Heating & battery life: during presentation, all MacBooks had both Airport and Bluetooth turned on. Battery usage, although I saw brand new MacBooks, holds good promises.
As for heating, the upper-left part was quite hot, but my G4 Powerbook it’s much er… better when cooking… I’m unable to tell if the different material between black & white model makes any difference about heating.
What about performance?

Safari browsing, task & dashboard switching, Front Row switching were all pretty good.
It did indeed performed well when playing Mission Impossible 3 trailer on Quicktime, and I mean the HD 720p version!
All standard Mac apps perform very well and the i950 graphics card does a good job even when several apps (iDvd and iMovie) are working together taking the Core Duo to the limit.

Finally, a complete lineup of consumer/small portable Macs.
Here in a row: an iBook G4 12″, a MacBook 13.3″ and a (venerable) Powerbook G4 12″.
(some top-secret screen content removed…)
The complete history in a row!

Apple has announced today the brand new MacBook.
It’s the long-awaited replacement for iBook, now sporting Intel Core Duo processor.

So long iBook, it’s been a good workhorse for a lot of people since its introduction back in July 1999 [check here the old G3 specs].

A first look at the new MacBook tech specs (much like what the rumors predicted):
– a brilliant (Vaio-style) glossy 13.3″ display, a must to compete with PCs and the first time ever on a Mac,
– 1.83 and 2.0 GHz processor speed,
– DDR2 RAM up to 2 GB,
– a dual-layer SuperDrive,
– 2 USB 2.0 and a (!) a FireWire 400 port,
– up to 120 GB hard disk drive,
– a not-so-amazing Intel GMA 950 graphics card with 64 MB of shared memory, but still capable of extended desktop on external monitor, through the mini-DVI output and with some optional VGA/DVI/S-VHS adaptors.

Just like the bigger MacBook Pros, the new MacBook sports:
– the MagSafe power adapter,
– a built-in iSight for iChat AV (and some other videophone apps),
– FrontRow remote.

All software bundled with MacBook, as well as iLife ’06, is Universal Binary, that is Intel-CPU compatible: right now.

All this in a white or black (just the big BTO model) case, just like iPod nano…

Prices starting at just US$ 1099 or EU 1119.
Availability: now.

A strange point: the black model, color apart, will get you a 80 GB (up from 60 GB on the White model) for US$ 200 more… the same drive on the White will cost just US$ 50 more…

Check hi-res pictures of the new MacBook from Apple PR right here.

It’s a neat move on Win-PCs and, by the way, it’s quite competitive (in price & specs) on similar PCs with lower-clocked CPUs, no iSight etc. etc.

The announcement today.
Just as expected, you can now run Windows XP on the newest Intel-based Macs.
The question is: should you?
😉

Check here Apple’s Boot Camp press release.

Quite a few updates:

Looks like Aperture and photojournalist Vincent Laforet have been working quite well during the recent Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Read his report on Olympics games and how Aperture helped speeding up things and getting from his Canon digital cameras delivered to his clients quickly, with a no-nonsense workflow.

Read here the full story.