Computers

Apple’s Move to Make Macs in the US is Just Good Business Sense

This week the media has lit up over the announcement that Apple is already producing some Macs in the US, and that starting in 2013 Apple is investing $100 million in efforts that will bring entire product lines back from their current Chinese manufacturing sites. There are plenty of articles about this, some going so far as to proclaim that it is time for American workers to rejoice. But an article at the Atlantic looked at something similar happening at General Electric and came to different conclusions. The article at Salon.com (thanks Doug!) takes the Atlantic article context and applied…

News & Features

Blue’s Spark Digital Now Available

As I have quickly learned while trying to shoot videos for the site and record audio for an interactive iBook I am creating, having a high quality microphone can make all the difference. Blue’s Spark Digital is “the world’s first studio-grade condenser microphone to offer both USB and iPad connectivity”. We’ve reviewed a number of the company’s various microphone offerings but none have been quite as impressive as this one. As the company explains, Expanding on the professional and sound of Blue’s Spark XLR studio microphone, Spark Digital features the same studio-grade condenser capsule and hand-tuned components for high-fidelity recording…

Reviews

ViewSonic’s VSD220 21.5” Display Review

When I was at a Pepcom Holiday Event a few weeks ago, one particular item caught my eye — ViewSonic’s VSD220 21.5” display. You see, this isn’t any old display. No, this is a display and a huge Android tablet in one. That’s right, the VSD220 (sexy name right?) comes with Android Ice Cream Sandwich baked into it. That means you get a 21″ monitor and “computer-free computing” in a single device, one that can either sit on a desk or hang on a wall. I was impressed, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the reality of actually using it…

Events

Windows Phone 8 Launch Event

I’m at the Windows Phone 8 launch event this morning in San Francisco, waiting in the lobby of the Bill Graham Civic Center with roughly 150 other members of the media. There are probably fewer in attendance than originally intended, due to Hurricane Sandy’s grip on the Eastern states, but the mood here is upbeat and we are looking forward to seeing how Microsoft will (hopefully) wow us this morning. I’ll have more soon, we still have 15 minutes before the doors open … And we’re in and seated. Joe Belfiore is on the stage, welcoming us and saying that…

How to Do It Yourself!

Got an Old PowerPC Mac? Resuscitate It with Linux.

Apple has long left the PowerPC based Macs of old behind; however, any G4 or G5 based Mac is still a very capable machine. Most of the G5 Power Macs I have come across are dual-core G5 machines and some of the iMacs are as well. Apple isn’t releasing updates for the last supported version of Mac OS X that will run on PowerPC based Macs. Firefox and Chrome are also both unsupported on PowerPC based Macs, so even if that old Mac still works, continuing to use it as it is means you are vulnerable to all sorts of…

News & Features

AhnLab Introduces the V3 Click, the First-to-Market Personal Security Device for PCs

Viruses, trojans and spyware. These are the perennial pests of modern computing and the bane of system administrators and IT personnel everywhere, not to mention the end users themselves! When I first heard about USB flash drives being used to infect PCs a few years back, I wondered: if a USB device can infect a system, can a USB device protect a system? Apparently some engineers at AhnLab wondered the same thing too, because AhnLab has released the industry’s first Personal Security Device for PCs, the V3 Click Home Desktop Edition unit than runs from a PC’s USB port. This…

Reviews

Libratone Zipp AirPlay Speaker Review

Last week I offered a first look and video of the Libratone Zipp. The airplay speaker fuses European aesthetics with Cupertinian technology. The round speaker works fine at home, but it also runs on battery power so you can take it on the go. Libratone, who already offered two different speakers designed for home use has now made a speaker that is ready to, as they put it, “Leave the House”. From Libratone: Share your music anywhere, anytime! Libratone Zipp is an easy-to-use, wireless sound system wrapped in changeable Italian wool. Stream your favourite tunes with PlayDirect™ and AirPlay technology, directly…

Gear Bits

Libratone Zipp Wireless AirPlay Speaker, First Look

Every now and then a product comes along that not only meets your expectations but actually exceeds them. That’s the case so far with the Libratone Zipp AirPlay Wireless Speaker. Sure, it has a cool, unique look. And sure, the fact that you can change the wool covers then, in seconds, have a speaker that looks completely different is very cool. And sure, it has AirPlay. All that is true, but what really makes this speaker stand out is its Play Direct and its awesome sound. Play Direct means you can stream great audio wirelessly even when you don’t have an…

News & Features

The Telikin Brings Computers to the Masses

Before I tell you about the Telikin computer system, I need to tell you about my grandma. See, my grandma was always on the cutting edge. She was an early adopter, from microwaves to VCRs and DVD players. We used to joke that if she were still driving and needed a cell phone in 2007, she would have been first in line for an iPhone. So needless to say, my grandma had to have a computer. However, setting someone in their late 80s up with a computer was not that simple. The entire process of interacting with a computer was…

News & Features

Give Your iMac or Thunderbolt Display a Lift with TwelveSouth’s HiRise

Twelve South has just introduced another great accessory for your iMac or Thunderbolt Display. The HiRise for iMac is “The first ever adjustable iMac Stand and Desk Storage System”. Here’s what the company has to say about it: HiRise radically transforms the look of your iMac or Apple Display by integrating the base into the HiRise itself, creating a bold, ultra-modern look. At first glance, people may think they are looking at an entirely new Mac. The surprises will continue when you flip down the magnetically secured faceplate to reveal hard drives, cables and keys hidden inside.The eye-catching stand is over-engineered…

Editorials

Dumped by My Technology Without a Backup

Anyone who knows me expects to see me sporting my backpack gear bag hanging on my right shoulder. I carry tons of tech in that bag whether I need it on a daily basis or not. The backbone of that backpack has been my 13″ MacBook Pro. The laptop was my dream computer, and it was basically an extension of myself. Making movies, editing photos, and writing posts; all flowed from my laptop like a master magician wowing a captivated crowd. In fact, that MacBook even made trips with me to the farm and hunting. That magic came to a…

Editorials

iPad for College Instead of Laptop? Bad Advice

You know what they say about free advice… you get what you pay for. And, if you read the site regularly, you know hoe much both Judie and I love and rely upon our iPads. And you likely also know that Mike considers the iPad his “80% computer” while Carly goes as high as it being her 90% computer. That being the case you might be surprised that I find Cult of Macs post entitles Why You Should Buy An iPad Instead Of A MacBook For College [Back To School] to be lousy advice and simply wrong. The author’s points…

News & Features

Twelve South’s BackPack Shelf for iMac and Apple Displays Gets Refresh and Redesign

Twelve South’s very first Apple-only accessory was the BackPack Shelf for the iMac and pole Display. It is one of those small, unassuming accessories that you might not necessarily NEED, but you can’t do without once you start using it. Now they have gone and made three different enhancements to it. As they note, Three years after Twelve South released BackPack, its very first product, the company unveils an elevated new version of the tiny shelf with three major enhancements. Designed exclusively for iMacs and Apple Displays, BackPack now features vertical support pegs, built-in cable management rails and the option…

Gear Bits

Mountain Lion Roars 3 Million Times, and Now It Is Time to “Read” the Manual

OS X Mountain Lion, the Apple’s updated desktop operating system, is already a big hit. Downloaded over 3 million times in less than a week, the OS looks pretty much the same as OS X Lion, but it adds some great features. Mountain Lion is, according to Apple’s Phil Schiller, “the most successful [operating system] release ever”. What Mountain Lion does is key for any of us who use an iPhone and/or an iPad; it gives Mac desktops and laptops the same tools already been available to us on mobile devices.In other words, it integrates the Apple-experience. iMessage, Notifications, Notes…

Gear Bits

Why Cable Companies Should Be Afraid of Airplay

Despite the fact that the operating system was released just a few days ago and there have been some issues with getting redemption codes and downloads, an amazing number of Mac users have already upgraded to OS X Mountain Lion. Having used it since shortly after the OS was released I can honestly say that it is, by far, the best update I’ve seen to OS X. I love the integration with iOS, the features of the new Safari and, of course, I am thrilled to have the, admittedly limited, ability to globally use voice recognition by simply pressing the…

News & Features

With Mountain Lion, Global Voice Recognition Comes to OS X and It Is Awesome

If you read the site you know how much I like, use and rely upon voice recognition. I use Siri on my iPhone more for voice recognition than for the actual “power” of Siri. I use global voice recognition on my iPad ALL THE TIME. And on my Mac I use Dragon Dictation and Dragon Express all the time. With Mountain Lion Apple is bringing global voice recognition to the Mac. Sure, it has some of the same limitation as iOS voice recognition in that is requires a data connection and there is a limitation on how long you can…

Reviews

WrapSol’s Protection Bundle for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display Review

When it comes to protecting our various devices, there are a few companies upon which we tend to rely. Of course there is the old standby Zagg, there is our newsletter underwriter Bodyguardz and there is Wrapsol. We reviewed various offerings from each company and have, for the most part, been impressed by all of them. Which you choose to use has a great deal to do with price, the application process, and the specific offerings for each device. We have upcoming reviews of two skins from Bodyguardz, but in this review we will look at Wrapsol’s Protection Bundle for…

Events, Gear Bits

GearFest GearChat #1, Tablet or Notebook? Which One When?

While together this past weekend the editors took some time out to talk tech. We’ll share the conversation/s over the next few days. Each of us brought a tablet, a notebook and at least one smartphone along with us. Two used the tablet almost exclusively while the others traded off between them fairly evenly. In this first one we talk about when and how we choose to use one or the other. Has your tablet become a primary productivity tool for you? Let us know in the comments.

Gear Bits, Travel

A Few Thoughts on Traveling with the MacBook Pro Retina

As Judie and I posted last week, the MacBook Pro Retina may be pricey but it is also an amazing computer. Honestly, after using it for almost two weeks I can, without hesitation, call it the best computer I have ever owned. It is fast, quiet, runs cool and it has a screen that must be seen to be appreciated. Yes, it is the best computer I have ever used. It is also the heaviest notebook I have owned in the last 5+ years and, since it came to Dearborn Michigan with me last week for the GoFurther with Ford…

Reviews

SRSLab’s New Audio Essentials Let’s Your Mac Pump Up the Volume and Quality

When Apple first announced the new MacBook Pro with retina display they stressed that it was the best notebook they have ever built AND it had the best speakers they have ever put into a Mac notebook. After almost two weeks I can confidently say that this is absolutely the best computer I have ever used. At the same time, if these are the best speakers they have ever put into a Mac it says a lot for just how bad things were previously but says little about the audio coming from the MBPr. To be fair, it isn’t just…

Editorials

MacBook Pro with Retina Display; Why We Bit

Dan: In last week’s newsletter, Judie and I began to address our first impressions of the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. I sat down to flesh out a more in-depth post but soon realized that what might be more compelling was why we both felt this computer was worth the price of admission in the first place. I certainly won’t speak for Judie, but I thought I would lay out my reasons for buying the MBPr and why, after using it for a week and a half, I realize they were spot on. In order to fully explain why this…

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