Computers

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

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

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…

Gear Bits, News

MacBook Pro Retina Draws on MacBook Air, and It Isn’t Entirely Good News

The great site iFixit has done the tear down of the new MacBook Pro with a Retina Display that was announced at the 2012 WWDC, and we find that it has more in common with the MacBook Air and iPad than any MacBook Pro before it; in other words, the RAM is SOLDERED in place. This means that you had better order as much as you will ever need now, as you will be stuck with what you have installed. Furthermore, the SSD is yet another proprietary format. So upgrading it in the future is going to require someone to…

News

Apple’s WWDC News As It Comes In From the Keynote Talk

12:50 EST: We’ll be following the news as it rolls in from the WWDC Keynote. Join us for a conversation in the comments below… So the question of the hours as we are five minutes out… why ONE announcement are you most hoping for? And we are off- Tim Cook is up on stage… no, wait, Siri is doing the intro. (Cute…) “I am excited about the new Samsung, not the phone, the refrigerator.” ( hahaha eh) Now Cook is on stage. 23rd WWDC, sold out in under 2 hours. App Store: 400 million accounts (equals 400 million examples of…

News

Join the Conversation During and After Apple’s WWDC Tomorrow

Apple’s WWDC 2012 kicks off tomorrow, and the keynote begins at 1pm EST. While we wish we were there, we’re going to do the next best thing — follow a number of the feeds simultaneously, and offer you the highlights on the day’s doings with a touch of colorful commentary and a full team conversation in the comments section. Of course, the rumors are flying but, as always, until the news is actually announced, it is nothing but rumor. One rumor that does seem likely to come true is that iOS 6 won’t support the original iPad. The rumor certainly…

News

Twelve South SurfacePad for Air Brings Luxury to the MacBook Air

We’re huge fans of TwelveSouth and love watching their relatively small portfolio slowly grow as new products are added. That only seems to happen a few times each year so. Well, this is one of those times and, while the new product is not something you NEED, and is not something that is completely NEW, it is something that those of us who use a 13″ MacBook air will want to consider. The Twelve South SurfacePad is a razor thin layer of premium Napa leather that cushions and protects the wrist rest area of your MacBook Air, while giving your…

News

Toshiba Unveils New Ultrabooks!

The world of laptops has had a very disruptive series of events over the last few years. There’s the whole netbook craze, which evolved into a tablet movement, and meanwhile, on the high-end, the MacBook Air line remains the gold standard for a lightweight, but powerful computer. Hence why Intel and Toshiba rolled out a trifecta of Ultrabooks today; lightweight computers for everyone’s needs! First up, the U845W for $999.99: Satellite U845W: The World’s First Ultrabook with an Ultra-Wide 21:9 Cinematic Display The entertainment-optimized Satellite U845W offers premium features and design in an ultra-slim form factor. Designed with movie enthusiasts…

Reviews

NeatReceipts Scanner and Software Package Review

Last July we reviewed the NeatDest scanner and software system from Neat. (Read the review.) Here’s how I began the review One of the keys to Apple’s remarkable success with their iOS devices is the fact that they control both the hardware and the software side of things. Good software is nice to have. So is nice hardware. But when you put the two together; when the hardware is specifically designed to work with the software and the software is specifically designed to work with the hardware… now THAT is a combination worth speaking about. The result? Well just take…

Gear Bits, News

Leap Motion Reveals the Leap 3-D Motion Control Device for Computers

The Leap is basically a small iPod sized USB peripheral that creates a 3D interaction space of 8 cubic feet through special included software. The Leap will retail for $69.99, and a limited number are currently available for pre-order at LeapMotion.com.

News

Waterfield Designs’ CitySlicker Brings Style and Minimalist Protection to Your MacBook Air

If you are going to have something as thin and light as a MacBook Air, then why in the world would you carry it in a big bulky bag? You wouldn’t, and with Waterfield’s new CitySlicker, you don’t have to. The CitySlicker is a “Slim, Modern Case for the MacBook Air” that provides 3-layers of protection for the MBA while maintaining the thin, light look and feel of the diminutive laptop. As Gary Waterfield, company founder, explains, The MacBook Air is unbelievably thin, and we wanted to enhance that look rather than detract from it. The challenge was to design…

Editorials

Growing Pains and other Idiocy

If, based upon the title of this post and the image I used, you thought I was going to go on some rant about Kirk Cameron’s opinions on a host of issues, think again. (I have, however, made clear on numerous occasions that he and I could not disagree more, especially about the issue of marriage equality.) No, I’m speaking about growing pains and idiocy of the Apple kind. Elana and I arrived for dinner with my parents a bit early so I hit the Apple Store at the Short Hills Mall while we waited for them. I used to…

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