This week’s Apple news was dominated by revised iMacs (in 21.5- and 27-inch versions with new touch-enabled Magic Mouse) and a new unibody MacBook (still polycarbonate body, though) as well as faster new Mac minis (see more coverage of the launch here). Gizmodo already has its review of the 27-inch iMac (image at right from their review), and Giz both likes what it sees (high-res display) and doesn’t see (less aluminum chassis). AppleInsider also reminds us that the 27-incher can be wall mounted, making it a great replacement for the 30-inch Apple Cinema Display.

CNet’s Crave posts some hands-on thoughts about the new MacBook (complete with video), calling it the “best version to date of it’s non-Pro laptop line.” Walt Mossberg calls the improvements to both the iMac and MacBook “evolutionary, not revolutionary,” but he is quite taken with the Magic Mouse. For more on the Magic Mouse, check out this review at Register Hardware.

• Speaking of the 27-inch iMac’s wall-mounting capability, The Apple blog wonders if this foretells the future of the Apple TV (i.e., its UI and functionality embedded with an HDTV/Mac).
• Pocket-lint features an Apple video for the new iMac and Magic Mouse with Jonathan Ive (and other Apple brand managers) talking about their design. Yes, it’s very market-ey, but I can listen to Ive’s voice all day.
• Apple also released new versions of its Airport Extreme wireless router and wireless Time Capsule backup devices (in 1 TB and 2 TB flavors) this week, with promises of “50 percent better performance and up to 25 percent better range.” Wi-Fi guru Glenn Fleishman explains how this is done with a new 3×3 MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) antenna array (instead of the up-’til-now 2×2 standard).
• You may have heard that Windows 7 got officially released this week. Ars Technica reports that Apple will be providing support for the various flavors of Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate) by the end of the year.
• Speaking of which, Apple released a salvo of new Get a Mac ads to counter the Windows 7 rush, and Kara Swisher over at All Things D includes all three videos.
• The Mac minis got some decent speed boosts, but the most interesting wrinkle of this year’s crop of mini is a configurable version that includes the Snow Leopard Server OS. TUAW looks at the possibilities this brings for small businesses.
• While we’re talking servers, I’ve been considering some options for a Mac-friendly network attached storage (NAS) solution for our home media and home-based businesses (I do writing, my wife is an architect), and there have been a couple of new releases that have attracted my attention. Iomega recently added its lineup of ix4-200d NAS servers (available in 2, 4 and 8 TB sizes, and offers four drive bays for more storage), which seems to ably handle backup and media storage/streaming responsibilities based on these quick reviews from the UK’s Register Hardware and MacUser. Iomega also offers a smaller version (the ix2-200), with two drive bays and an interesting BitTorrent feature according to Cult of Mac.

  But I think I’ll be saving my pennies for the latest release of the HP MediaSmart home server (which I covered previously). Gizmodo has a review of the top-of-the-line EX495, which includes 1.5 TB of storage out of the gate (with the extensibility of four drive bays) and a dual-core Pentium processor (HP also offers the EX490 with 1 TB and a Celeron processor). Having a dual-core processor in a NAS server might seem a bit much, but Gizmodo notes it’s pretty handy for DVD conversion (a feature of the new MediaSmarts):
  
  

  In our tests, the EX495 was able to convert a DVD movie into a full resolution h.264 and a phone-streamable 300MB movie in about an hour and a half, give or take. Very useful for not sucking up your main machine’s horsepower to convert videos when you can just vomit them onto the network and have it be done by a slave machine.

  The MediaSmarts have also upped the Mac integration with improved Time Machine backup capabilities and (finally) a native home server console (instead of dealing with just a Web interface). At just a shade under $700, it’s definitely an investment, but one I think will work for our needs. I just hope it’s a little quieter than the HP MediaVault I tested out.

• I’m salivating at the prospect of this report from 9to5Mac of the BBC taking its iPlayer international, providing download purchase access to those living outside the UK. Currently, iTunes offers some BBC content such as Dr. Who, its spinoff Torchwood and Top Gear. But I’m a bit of a Beeb-o-phile and would love to get my hands on other shows that don’t get much exposure here in the States, like Spooks (new season coming up) or Master Chef.
• AppleInsider reports that an ad for the Android-powered T-Mobile myTouch 3G has inadvertently spurred sales for a steamy iPhone app that’s similar to one featured in the ad.
• Fast Company reports that Amazon is working on a native Kindle app for the Mac (it already offers one for the iPhone).
• Despite a jittery economy, Apple reported yet another record-busting quarter this week with a net profit $1.67 billion and more Macs (3.05 million units) and iPhones (7.4 million) sold than in any previous quarter (via TidBITS).
• And finally… my colleague Jeff Carlson provides a short-but-sweet video comparison of a 15-inch MacBook Pro, 20-inch monitor, and new 27-inch iMac:

–Agen G.N. Schmitz

The last piece of Apple’s annual release pattern got locked into place today with the announcement of new models in its desktop lineup–iMac and Mac mini–as well as a new entry-level MacBook with unibody enclosure and a wireless mouse with Multi-Touch capabilities dubbed Magic Mouse. But wait, that’s not all… Apple also more quietly released new versions of its Airport Extreme wireless base station and the Time Capsule router/backup device as well as a new Apple Remote for controlling Macs and iPods/iPhones.

While not including integrated Blu-ray Disc drives, the new iMacs still get an impressive upgrade with new edge-to-edge glass 16:9 widescreen displays with LED backlighting in 21.5- and 27-inch sizes (with two models in each size bracket). They both offer, at minimum, a native 1080p high definition resolution (with the 27-inch sizes providing a 2560 x 1440-pixel resolution), and they take a cue from Apple’s MacBook Pro unibody construction with a precision-forged aluminum enclosure. Three of the iMacs get a speed boost to a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, while the top-of-the-line 27-incher gets blessed with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core processor. The four iMac variants are as follows:

• 21.5-inch screen, 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 500 GB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics
• 21.5-inch screen, 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1 TB hard drive, ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics with 256 MB DDR3 discrete memory
• 27-inch screen, 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1 TB hard drive, ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics with 256 MB DDR3 discrete memory
• 27-inch screen, 2.66 GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core processor, 1 TB hard drive, ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics with 512 MB DDR3 discrete memory

Aside from the improved screen and new enclosure, the biggest new feature of the iMac is the inclusion of Apple’s new wireless Magic Mouse (as well as a wireless Apple keyboard; previously iMacs came with wired peripherals). The Magic Mouse (also available separately) uses the same Apple Multi-Touch technology found on the iPhone and MacBook trackpads, and it includes no buttons or scroll wheel–the entire seamless top is a button as well as a touch-sensitive surface. And like Apple’s other Multi-Touch products, it supports actions based on a number of gestures, such as two fingered swipes to browse through photos or Cover Flow in iTunes. The Magic Mouse connects to Macs via Bluetooth.

The entry-level MacBook gets a bit more of an overhaul with a new unibody, polycarbonate enclosure, glass Multi-Touch trackpad, LED-backlit display, and the non-removable, long-life battery that the MacBook Pro lineup has been outfitted with. The MacBook’s battery promises up to 7 hours of continuous use. In addition to shaving off a couple ounces from its predecessor, TUAW notes that the new MacBook has shed itself of a couple of ports–the FireWire 400 port and a dedicated audio output jack (the audio jack now does double in-and-out duty).

The Mac mini also got refreshed with some speedier processing power with two versions–one with a 2.26 GHz Core 2 Duo processor and 160 GB hard drive and another with a 2.53 GHz Core 2 Duo processor and 160 GB hard drive. Nothing too exciting, but Apple is offering an interesting build-to-order twist that comes with the Snow Leopard Server operating system as well as dual 500 GB hard drives. As Glenn Fleishman notes over at TidBITS:

These specifications turn the Mac mini into a server powerhouse for a small network, with enough performance to drive email and spam filtering, internal Web service, file sharing, and a host of other tasks. It lacks only a second Ethernet port to act as a firewalled gateway for a network.

In addition to the refreshed Macs and reinvigorated mouse, Apple also quietly released new versions of the Airport Extreme wireless router and two sizes of the Time Capsule Wi-Fi router/backup device (in 1 TB and 2 TB sizes). The devices are now certified for 802.11n networking (not just the Draft-N standard) and have redesigned antennas that Apple claims to significantly improve both data speeds and range. Finally, the spare, white plastic Apple Remote that’s been shipped for years has been replaced by a new Remote with an aluminum enclosure featuring black buttons. The Apple product page notes that it works with Macs and iPods/iPhones, but it doesn’t list the Apple TV (though there’s no reason to think it wouldn’t)

–Agen G.N. Schmitz

After a couple of weeks traveling with the family and then having to face up to a load of work that always seems to await you after vacation (which starts to make you question why you should go on holiday to begin with), I’m back on the Apple news hunt. It doesn’t look like the landscape has changed much since I’ve been away–we’re still no closer to an iTablet or tethering capabilities from AT&T, and there’s still no refreshed Mac desktop hardware for the coming festive season.

But wait… is that the infamous “We’ll be back soon” yellow Post-it I spy over at the online Apple store this afternoon? Yes, it was, but now the store’s back and nothing’s obviously been changed. That said, we could be seeing new versions of Apple’s iMac and Mac mini soon (perhaps as soon as next week, but then again I’ve been hearing that for the past couple of weeks). AppleInsider has some intel that the new models will sport top-of-the-line Intel Core i7 quad-core processors. Electronista has a bit more detail on what this could mean as far as under-the-hood and marketing matters:

Although in most cases much faster than existing Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad systems, their low clock speeds in full quad-core use would likely push Apple to advertise their maximum clock speeds under Turbo Boost instead. The 1.73GHz chip runs at up to 3.06GHz when one or more cores aren’t needed and may see Apple advertise the higher speed instead.

Unfortunately, it also sounds like the inclusion of Blu-ray drives was pulled at the last minute. Well, let’s get on to more of the week that was in Apple-y goodness (and disappointments):

• One of the things I did before our multi-stop, two week trip to visit family was load up my iPhone with apps to entertain our 2.5-year-old toddler (favorites from the trip included Pre-K Safari, Truckformer and Matches), and I’m always on the lookout for new titles. This week, iLounge takes a look at two interactive storybooks for youngin’s–Itsy Bitsy Spider and Little Red Hen–and gives both positive marks for rather different takes at this app category.
• Rumor revue: HardMac reports that the next version of the Mac Pro may include a hexacore Xeon processor (i.e., that’s six cores of power) for shipment in 2010. 9to5Mac reports that a radio app is being developed in-house by Apple, which would take advantage of the FM radio that’s already built into iPhones and iPod touches (but hasn’t been turned on yet by Apple). The app would include the same live pause feature of the latest crop of iPod nanos as well as the ability to purchase songs heard on the radio (from a compatible station that supports tagging) directly from the Mobile iTunes Store.
• Gizmodo highlights two iPhone concept interfaces from Ocean Observations–one for Cover Flow multitasking and one for Expose-style management of all your app screens.
• The Tweetie 2 iPhone app has been released, and Insanely Great Mac has a video review of the new features, which includes a draft mode that enables you to tweet what’s on your mind and upload at the next opportunity you have a connection (Pocket-lint also has a just-text review). The downside–owners of the original Tweetie (such as myself) will need to pay for the upgrade–that hasn’t necessarily been standard practice in the iPhone app world, but it’s SOP in the regular software world, so we should start getting used to that.

  >
  Why is this lunkhead smiling?

• I’m not much of a gamer, but I couldn’t resist the release of the FIFA 10 soccer game iPhone app from Electronic Arts. Soccer games are my one video gaming weakness (and the only reason I bought an original XBox years ago), and I’d previously tried last year’s version of Real Soccer from Gameloft (which has now been updated to an ‘01 version, with a free version for you to try), but it was never that captivating. FIFA 10, on the other hand, has been downright addictive. And the best part of it is the realism–from the hard slog of a season with a team that can get beat even by the bottom relegation zoners to the cleverness you need to run through defenders or snatch the ball away from attackers when defending. (Frankly, as a Chelsea supporter, the biggest downside of the game is seeing Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney mug every time I start the game… but I’m adapting.) iLounge takes a look at both FIFA 10 and Real Soccer 2010, and FIFA comes out on top.
• MakeUseOf has a review up of the recently released Dropbox iPhone app, and they’re frustrated at its inability to edit and upload files. If you’re not familiar with Dropbox, it’s a cloud-based file synchronization service that works in the background to upload files from the Dropbox folder that gets placed on your desktop and then synchronize that file with any other PCs running Dropbox that are associated with your account (or with collaborators sharing portions of folders). I recently worked on a project helping a colleague with a book update, and the fast, automated synchronization of source and finished materials made our remote collaboration seamless. And while the Dropbox iPhone app hadn’t been released in time, I would have been fine with just the viewing capabilities. For more on Dropbox app, check out this overview from Glenn Fleishman over at TidBITS.
• If you’ve got a a Canon PIXMA MP990, MP640, or MP560 printer, there’s now an iPhone app that enables you to print directly from your iPhone.
• Rob Griffiths over at Macworld takes a look at Apple’s new policy of allowing in-app purchases for free apps–which should eliminate the “free lite” versions of apps and now allow you to upgrade to a full version of an app after trying it out.
• And finally… I love this hand-crafted iPhone/iPod touch dock (via Cult of Mac). And you can make your own with plans at creator Murtaza Lakdawala’s web site.

–Agen G.N. Schmitz

Despite positive reviews for Windows 7, the upgrade process for the
millions of people still using the older Windows XP won’t be simple.
Unlike the shift from the newer Windows Vista, the move from Windows XP to Windows 7
requires a clean installation — which means backing up data before
installing Windows 7, then restoring data and reinstalling applications
after the new OS is on the machine.





As we noted earlier this week,
the Mac blogs have been having lots of fun poking fun at the process.
And now Apple itself is looking to capitalize on the situation.





“Any user that reads all those steps is probably going to freak
out,” Apple executive Phil Schiller tells BusinessWeek’s Peter Burrows
in a story getting lots of attention in the tech world today. “If you have to go through all that, why not just buy a Mac?”





Apple is looking to build on the Mac’s existing momentum. Numbers released yesterday by the IDC research firm showed Mac shipments rising to 9.4 percent of the U.S. market in the third quarter, from 8.6 percent a year earlier.





According to the BusinessWeek story, Apple is expected to highlight
the complexity of the XP-to-7 upgrade process in upcoming
advertisements. Burrows reports that the company also “will likely make
the case that Macs are less susceptible to viruses and are best suited
to its popular iPods and iPhones.”



Last night Flip Video launched the 2nd generation of their MinoHD shoot-and-share camcorder. This second iteration delivers what many customers have been hoping for. The new Flip MinoHD has twice the recording time (8 GB) of the previous version. You can now record up to two hours of HD footage. Like with previous Mino’s you can directly connect to your computer via the built-in USB; with this new MinoHD you can also directly connect to your HDTV via the new MinoHD’s mini-HDMI connector. Along with output enhancements, the camcorder’s display is now larger (2-inch) than previous versions.



 



 



Hardware is not the only improvement with this new Flip camcorder. The pre-loaded FlipShare software has also been improved. With FlipShare’s Magic Movie feature, users can select a series of video clips, and the feature will edit the clips into a movie for uploading to the FlipShare Website (also viewable on your iPhone or iPod Touch with the FlipShare App), YouTube, and Facebook! Yes, Facebook. Within the next 2-3 weeks, FlipShare software will be able to upload directly to Facebook so you can shoot and share with all of your friends and fans. FlipShare will be the only shoot-and-share camcorder software with Facebook integration this holiday season.



–Brandon M. Baker