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Mac

The new MacBook Pro 2013 will have significant upgrades over previous models

Image 10/19/2013 Macmint Leave a comment

There are rumors swirling about the release of a hot new Apple product, and for the moment it’s not an iPhone. The MacBook Pro 2013 is due out soon, and it’s generating a significant amount of buzz. If you’ll be in the market for a new computer soon, here are a few compelling reasons to wait for the new MacBook Pro to be released:

Improved battery life

The major draw for purchasing a laptop computer is the ability to pack it up and take it with you. Mobility and flexibility in our careers is becoming increasingly desirable, and it’s no fun having a MacBook if you’re constantly searching for an outlet to plug it in. The new MacBook Pro will come equipped with the remarkable Intel Haswell processor, increasing battery life by up to five hours depending on which model of Mac you buy. Real-world testing has shown that a new MacBook Air can be used all day without needing a recharge. It’s highly likely the new MacBook Pro will be the same, and that alone may make it worthwhile to hold off a few more weeks and buy one.

Faster storage

It’s rumored that, in line with recently releases of other Apple computers, the new MacBook Pro will have improved storage speeds thanks to new PCIe technology. With either that or a revolutionary new Fusion drive, the next MacBook Pro could be an appealing option for anyone who does a considerable amount of uploading and works with large amounts of data. Some Apple insiders are even hinting that the new MacBook Pro may come with the option of a 1TB hard drive.

Quicker Wi-Fi

If the latest MacBook Air is any indication, the new MacBook Pro will feature 802.11-ac technology. It’s currently available on the Apple 802.11-ac Time Capsule, and provides increased speed, improved range and an overall better wireless Internet experience. Just like having improved battery life, this is a fantastic feature for those who are quite mobile with the laptops. As you transition from the office to a coffee shop to home, better Wi-Fi will make your experience more positive.

Thunderbolt 2.0

The initial instance of Thunderbolt was impressive enough, with those who do a lot of uploading or other work with peripheral devices marveling at the speed and functionality offered via a Thunderbolt port. Whether you’re craving the ability to upload RAW format photos at a high rate of speed or need to daisy chain multiple devices, Thunderbolt is up for the challenge. It’s a distinct possibility that the new MacBook Pro will feature Thunderbolt 2.0, the latest iteration of this powerful technology, thus supporting 4K video as well as supporting DisplayPort 1.2. For anyone who relies on a graphics-intensive computing experience, whether it’s for professional use or heavy game play, the upgrade to Thunderbolt 2.0 is just another reason why the new MacBook Pro is worth waiting for.

There is little doubt that the current MacBook Pro (Late, 2013), and especially the Pro Retina, provides exceptional computing experiences that extend beyond the needs of most computer users. We can easily pack in a briefcase a light, easily portable computer with technology that is equal to or better than many desktop models. However, for those who require the latest technology, storage capacity and capability, stories indicate that the new MacBook Pro is up to the challenge and worth having a little patience for.

Apps

The Tile App: The first lost and found for the iPhone

Video 10/12/2013 Macmint Leave a comment

Misplacing things – especially important items like keys and mobile phones – is one of life’s little annoyances. It happens to the best of us, but now thanks to Tile, losing your stuff can virtually be a thing of the past.

The Tile App takes “smartphones” to an incredibly clever new level. Purchase small, slender tiles and attach, stick or drop them into virtually anything you own that is likely to get lost; an iPad, laptop, musical instrument, wallet, car keys, knapsack, you name it! If you misplace the item, the app will help you locate it.

Using GPS technology, the Tile App can show you the last location where your misplaced possession was seen. This is fantastically handy if you believe your item was stolen, or life behind somewhere like in the office or on the bus. Even better, if what you’re searching for has just been misplaced around the house, you can trigger the app to play a sound through the tile, which has a built in speaker. If you can hear it, chances are you can find it! Furthermore, the tiles will tell you through the app if you’re getting “warmer” when trying to find what you’ve mislaid, advising within a range of 50 to 100 feet whether or not you’re getting closer.

The Tile App for iPhone — Tile: The world’s largest lost and found

The Tile App tiles work with the iPhone 4s and 5, the 5th generation iPod Touch, iPad Mini and 3rd and 4th generation iPads. Tiles never need to be charged or have their batteries replaced; rather, they’ll last a year. When it’s time to replace them, the company will contact users with a reminder and send them an envelope to facilitate recycling used tiles.

Up to 10 tiles can be used per account, giving lots of opportunities to stick them to anything you think you might lose. Access to tile location data can be shared with trusted people, like family, friends or coworkers. In addition, the Tile App community acts like a giant lost and found, giving users the ability to receive help with locating a possession, if desired.

Made possibly by crowdfunding, the Tile App’s Selfstarter campaign was one of the largest ever to be funded, raising approximately 2.6 million dollars in start-up capital. With a promise they will start shipping in winter 2013/2014, tiles are already available to pre-order, for anyone who can’t wait to plan for a little support in keeping track of their belongings.

The Tile App Lost and Found — Find lost luggage with Tile

For consumers who are just curious to try a tile out and see whether it’s a good option for them, one tile sells for $24.95 USD. Three tiles plus an additional bonus on one tile is just $74.85, making it the most popular seller with this startup. Additional packages include six tiles plus two bonus tiles for $149.70 and nine tiles plus three bonus tiles for $224.55. Whether you’re someone who’s always misplacing keys and could use a helping hand in keeping track of them, or you want to attach the tiles to many of your prized and portable possessions, The Tile App is an excellent solution that makes terrific use of the iPhone’s capabilities.

Apps

Geekbench by Primate Labs helps test the speed of your Mac

Image 10/08/2013 Macmint Leave a comment

For anyone curious about whether their Mac is performing as well as it should, an excellent place to turn is to Primate Labs and their popular Geekbench app. Geekbench is an extremely user-friendly application that benchmark tests your Mac’s processing abilities. Its scoring system is clearly laid out and differentiates between single-core and multi-core performance.

One particularly great aspect that sets Geekbench apart from other benchmark programs is its ability to test your computer with workloads that mimic real-life usage, not just lab standards. As a result, Geekbench doesn’t just tell you where your computer performance is at and where it should be. It determines your computer’s ability to handle the tasks and run the applications you actually use it for.

The latest iteration of Primate Labs’ application, Geekbench 3, runs several different stress tests as well as processor benchmark testing on your Mac. Stress tests determine the stability of your computer against small bugs, allowing you to weed them out and make any necessary repairs before they become big issues.

Geekbench is suitable for both 32-bit and 64-bit computers. It is also multi-core aware. Consequently, it’s helpful for all Mac owners, whether you’re looking to tweak your older dual-core iMac and get some more use out of it or keep your new quad-core Mac in peak condition. It can even handle computers as vast as 32-core servers, testing each core individually. With such a range in ability, it’ll even be prepared for the release of the revolutionary new Mac Pro.

Intuitive testing abilities aside, Geekbench is particularly useful for its ability to check a range of devices. Not just for your MacBook, it can be used to benchmark test smartphones, too. Furthermore, it’s accessible across different platforms. So if you like to mix up devices for whatever reason, your Geekbench account can handle your Apple devices one moment and your Android gadgets the next. It differentiates between mobile and desktop hardware and operating systems, making a subscription a worthwhile investment.

For those who aren’t satisfied just knowing their computer is up to snuff, Geekbench also loads all your testing results into a personalized results browser. Once you create an account, all your test results will be available within its dashboard for ease of reference. And for anyone eager to “geek out” and earn bragging rights over just how quick their system is, test results can be shared amongst users.

Benchmark testing is about far more than just boasting about computer speed, and it’s not just for extreme enthusiasts keen to tweak and modify every aspect of their computing experience. It’s a valuable idea for all computer users and can help determine if your system is experiencing any problems you may not immediately detect. By catching little hiccups before they become major issues you can potentially prevent issues before they happen and have the most efficient computing experience possible.

Benchmark testing, much like backing up your data and running anti-virus software, is another smart step in protecting your investment. Programs like Geekbench make it a little easier and less intimidating to do so.

Storage

Improve the speed of your Mac with the Samsung 840 Pro SSD

Image 10/05/2013 Macmint 3 Comments

How can you improve the speed of your mac? For those looking for the ultimate in computer performance, upgrading from a traditional hard disc drive to a solid-state drive is essential. The Samsung 840 Pro SSD Drive has become a premier choice for many people making the switch. Available in 128GB, 256 GB and 512 GB options, it comes at a reasonable starting price of approximately $133.00.

If you’re not yet sure that you’d be well served by upgrading from your HDD to SDD, or you’re keen to do so but don’t know where to start, the Samsung 840 may be worth considering.

Speed, security and efficiency are three of this drive’s biggest selling points. Samsung claims that installing the 840 Pro will enable you to start up your computer in as little as 10 to 15 seconds. Once you’re up and running, you’ll notice a marked improvement over your old HDD in upload speeds, as well as increased performance when using disc-intensive programs or managing a heavy workload.

What about security of your Mac?

If you’re concerned about the security of sensitive data on your hard drive, switching to a solid-state drive like the 840 Pro may also be particularly appealing to you. Boasting AES 256-bit full-disc encryption, you can breathe a little easier knowing that your important files are offered some of the best protection available to consumers.

What about energy efficiency?

Furthermore, the Samsung 840 Pro is popular with many people due to its energy efficiency. Once you make the switch from your traditional hard disc drive, you can expect extended battery life of up to 50 minutes thanks to the intelligent design of this SSD. It will effectively enable you to be a little more “green” and conservative with your power usage while not sacrificing performance.

samsung-ssd — Samsung 840 Pro SSD Packaging

Another key feature of the 840 Pro is the stability it offers. Corrupted drives are a headache, even if you’re fastidious about backing up your data. While nothing can guarantee a problem-free computing experience, solid-state drives are more stable by design. Furthermore, this product’s brushed metal case blocks against dust and corrosion, and Samsung’s design offers excellent shock protection. Accordingly, the likelihood of experiencing a corrupted or damaged drive is significantly reduced.

Samsung markets this SSD as being ideal for professionals (think: designers, photographers and anyone else who work with large amounts of data and requires high transfer rates) and most of their target users seem to be impressed with the quality and performance of the 840 Pro. However, it’s worth noting that in real-world usage there were a few concerns, albeit minor ones.

So is it worthwhile?

Some users have reported that since upgrading from the 830 to the 840, they didn’t notice a significant difference in performance. Therefore, switching from another solid-state drive to this one may not be worthwhile. However, the same consumers who made that point were also quick to say that anyone upgrading from a traditional hard disc drive is sure to notice a marked improvement.

128gb-samsung-ssd — Samsung 840 Pro Series

It has also been noted that after several weeks of heavy usage with the Samsung 840 Pro and a fresh operating system installation, the drive was still doing remarkably well, although it did require a few BIOS tweaks to get the most out of the hardware initially.

Overall, the Samsung 840 Pro solid-state drive is a popular and fairly priced product that is made with multi-tasking, demanding computer users in mind. Criticisms of the drive are minor, with the vast majority of consumers being pleased with it.

Storage

Apple Fusion Drive vs Solid State Drive

Image 10/01/2013 Macmint Leave a comment

Apple Fusion Drive or Solid State Drive, what is the difference? While there is a lot of buzz in the tech world about the new Apple Fusion drive, there is also a fair amount of confusion. Just what is this revolutionary new development? Is it possibly a better option than solid-state drives? And if so, just how does the technology work?

For those who need a high-capacity and high-speed drive, Fusion may be the answer. It partners the large storage capacity of a traditional hard drive with the excellent performance of a flash drive, making it a popular choice for photographers, designers and anyone else who needs to upload large amounts of data in an efficient manner.

Traditionally disc-intensive tasks, which range from starting up your system to uploading high-resolution photographs, are more efficient with the intelligent Fusion drive. That’s because it “fuses” traditional and flash drive technology together. The more you use it, the more the system detects what your needs are and adapts to suit them – frequently used programs are kept in flash storage while anything you access less often is kept in the traditional hard drive.

Furthermore, on Mac computers that are equipped with the Fusion drive, file transfers take place in the background, ensuring that your computing experience isn’t spoiled by lagging or other hindrances typically associated with uploading.

While the Fusion drive offers more than enough power and storage space for the average computer user, and is still up to the task of handling file transfers for heavy users, Apple does offer additional options for those who require an exceptional level of storage capacity and transfer speeds. New iMacs can now be configured with 1 TB of flash storage that is 50% faster than previous models, ensuring even extraordinary amounts of data can be uploaded and stored in an efficient manner.

So, why pick the Fusion drive over a solid-state drive or even a regular hard drive? The two most common deciding factors are speed and price. While there are those who far prefer Fusion to solid state drives, there is no doubt that SSD is the purest, fastest option on the market right now. Those who have worked with SSD drives in their Mac computers swear they’ll never go back to a traditional hard drive.

However, the downside is the cost. You get what you pay for, and a 1 TB Fusion drive is an affordable $250.00 option for your new Mac computer, compared to spending up to $1300.00 on a similar solid-state drive. If you’re willing and able to potentially double the cost of your new MacBook or iMac, then solid state is the way to go. By comparison, a new Fusion drive is affordable and still provides transfer speeds and storage capacity sure to “wow” anyone transitioning from a traditional hard drive.

The Fusion drive is also an excellent option for anyone who’s still using a Mac with a hard disc drive. Should you be after increased performance, but not to the extent of someone who needs to spend a considerable amount on SSD, the Fusion drive is an affordable choice. Better than just a “middle of the road” option, it provides the best of both worlds – lightning fast flash performance when you need it, with the large capacity of HDD.