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News & Opinion
2012: A Tumultuous Year for Apple Portable
Computing
In this week's The 'Book Mystique column, Charles W. Moore observes
that it's been an extraordinarily tumultuous year both on the MacBook
and the iPad fronts, 
from a historical perspective on par
with other banner years - 1995 (PowerPC), 1997
(G3), 1999
(iBook, New World
ROM), 2001 (Titanium
PowerBook G4, dual-USB iBook),
2006 (Intel), 2008 (MacBook
Air), and 2010 (iPad, updated MacBook Air) for
game-changing Apple portable computer innovation.
Moore profiles the year's MacBook and iPad developments: the
iPad with Retina Display, the new
MacBook Pro with Retina Display models, the latest MacBook Air and old-school
MacBook Pro refreshes, the iPad
mini, and iPad 4.
Link: Apple Portable
Computing 2012 - A Tumultuous Year in Review
Moving from a Desktop Mac to a MacBook
If you're pondering a move from an iMac to a MacBook Pro, you'll find a
new guide posted by MacDrifter's Gabe a worthwhile read.
Gabe says his motivation for going back to a MacBook from a desktop
Mac was to untether himself his desk. 
He wanted the freedom to work from his
office or his couch and says Dropbox is a good solution for syncing
data, not work environments, and the 15" Retina MacBook Pro
makes a powerful desktop and an incredible laptop.
He rates the MacBook Pro a wonderful couch computer, observing that
with 768 GB SSD he can bring most of his data with him with plenty of
room to spread out - but because he's spoiled, he opted for the 27"
Thunderbolt display too, although it's not necessary and the 15" Retina
display would be sufficient for most people. However, his work mode is
to keep lots of windows open, and for that he finds the 15" RMBP just
too stifling, and while the Thunderbolt display makes a poor docking
station, it's an excellent monitor.
Gabe summarizes that the 27" iMac was the best computer he'd ever
owned until he bought a 15" Retina MacBook Pro, but advises you to
really think about how you use computers. For example, if you only need
to work away from your desk a few times a year, get an iMac for desktop
duty and a MacBook Air for when you really need portability, but if you
truly need a portable workstation, the 15" Retina MacBook Pro is the
best you can get.
Publisher's note: If you only need to work away from your desk a few
times a year, look into a previously owned 13.3" MacBook.
You can currently get into one that runs OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for as
little as $280, and ones that can run 10.8 Mountain Lion start at about
$500 - half as much as the least expensive MacBook Air. dk
Link: From iMac to
MacBook
Ditch Your Mac and Live with Just an iPad?
The Mac
Observer's John Martellaro says that as the iPad has evolved and grown
more capable, ditching your Mac (or PC) and living solely with an iPad
becomes thinkable.
However, Martellaro cautions that the first thing to think about is
what you may have been doing on a Mac (or PC) that isn't yet supported
on an iPad, although that's a moving target with the iPad slowly
evolving from being a primarily content consumption device to a much
more capable content creation and management device.
In the meantime, Martellaro notes that some high-end types of
activities will need careful consideration and research as to whether
an iPad can do the job, and there may well be technical requirements
that professionals have that only allows them to supplement their work
with an iPad and not completely abandon, say, a MacBook Pro.
But if the iPad can supports everything you want to do - check
email, listen to music, watch movies, browse the Internet, shop,
conduct FaceTime sessions with friends and relatives, tweet, read news,
read a book, and play games - Martellaro contends that an immediate
move to living full-time in an iPad is very doable.
However, there is one more important consideration, even for the
casual consumer: data storage capacity, especially if one is not
comfortable with relying on Cloud data storage on Dropbox, Microsoft's SkyDrive, Apple's
iCloud, Amazon's cloud services, or other Cloud solutions. He notes
that moving all your legacy data to cloud storage entails some security
risk and the likelihood that you'll have to pay to access your own
data.
However, he maintains that with the iPad ecosystem rapidly evolving,
except for a very few, developers and publishing houses, to name a few
(and some lovable curmudgeons), the era of the iPad-only existence is a
distinct, looming reality.
Link:
Ditch Your Mac and Live with Just an iPad?
Apple Updates
EFI Update for 13" Retina MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro Retina EFI Update v1.1 is recommended for all
13" MacBook Pro with
Retina Display (L 2012) models. This update improves sleep
performance, enhances Thunderbolt router support, fixes an HDMI display
issue, and improves compatibility when using the 5 GHz band in
Wi-Fi.
Boot ROM or SMC Version Information: After Update is complete:
- Build version: 0106.03
- ROM version: MBP102.88Z.0106.B03.1211161133
System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.8.1 and greater, EFI version
0106.01
Link: MacBook Pro Retina EFI Update
v1.1
Wi-Fi Update for Late 2012 Macs
Mac Wi-Fi Update 1.0 is recommended for all late 2012 Mac systems.
This update improves compatibility when using the 5 GHz band in
Wi-Fi.
Boot ROM or SMC Version Information: To confirm the update has been
applied, the CFBundleVersion string of the AirPortBrcm4311.kext will
need to be checked.
New driver delivered in update:
- AirPortBrcm4331.kext
- CFBundleVersion = 612.20.15
System Requirements: OS X 10.8.2 (specifically build version
12C2034)
Link: Mac Wi-Fi Update
1.0
Tech Trends
Weak Notebook Demand Expected in Early 2013
DigiTimes' Monica Chen and Joseph Tsai reports that as sales of
Windows 8 notebooks have fallen short of expectations, and with
competition from the iPad and Android tablets increasing, the global
market for all types of notebooks is expected to be stagnant during the
first quarter of 2013, according to unnamed insiders at Taiwan-based
laptop vendors and OEM suppliers.
Chen and Tsai note that notebook vendors still have high-levels of
Windows 7 notebook inventory, with most aggressively offering price
cuts, and some Core i5-based notebooks now priced below $599, and some
first-tier brand notebook vendors even dropping prices for models with
Intel's entry-level dual-core processors to below $399.
However, the sources report that with Windows Vista/XP-based
notebooks already able to satisfy most usage demands, most consumers
are prioritizing their hardware budgets to purchase smartphones or
tablets, and delaying their PC replacement needs.
Link: Notebook Demand
Expected to Be Weak in 1Q13 (subscription required)
Products & Services
Matrox Thunderbolt Docking Station for MacBook Pro
and MacBook Air
PR: Today's MacBooks are powerful enough for most corporate
users but their cumbersome connectivity makes them inconvenient, and
their small screens and keyboards make them uncomfortable to use in the
office all day.
The new Matrox DS1 docking station addresses those shortcomings.
Matrox DS1 gives you the most from your
Thunderbolt port by letting you add a large display, a full size
keyboard, a mouse, a wired network, and many other peripherals using a
single cable. In an instant, you enjoy all the productivity benefits of
a desktop computer.
Save time everyday by being able to come and go without
disconnecting and reconnecting all your devices. One Thunderbolt
connection does it all. You can tame the tangle of cables cluttering
your desk and save wear-and-tear on your laptop.
Screen Size Matters
Go beyond 13 inches. Enjoy the productivity benefits and superior
comfort of an affordable full-size display. With Matrox DS1/DVI you can
use DVI displays or you can use Matrox DS1/HDMI for HDMI displays with
embedded audio.
Gigabit Ethernet Restored
Matrox DS1 adds gigabit Ethernet access to laptops that don't have a
built-in gigabit Ethernet port. Transfer data 18 times faster than WiFi
and offload traffic from the corporate WiFi network.
SuperSpeed USB 3.0
Matrox DS1 adds an easily accessible SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port to your
system. Transfer data 10 times faster than standard USB 2.0.
Expand Your Connectivity
Two additional USB 2.0 ports let you connect peripherals need like a
full-size keyboard and mouse, printer, scanner, storage, smart phone,
optical drive, camera, flash drive, and other peripherals. Audio input
and output connections support microphones, speakers, and headsets.
Daisy Chain Setup
Matrox DS1 is the last device in your Thunderbolt chain.
Conveniently positioning your Thunderbolt storage with pass-through
between your laptop and your DS1 lets you easily remove just your
laptop, or your laptop plus storage, with a single disconnection.
Link: Thunderbolt Docking
Station for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air (available from Amazon.com
for $249 shipped in DVI
and HDMI
versions)
Bargain 'Books
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4,
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We also track iPad,
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