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The iPad Makes iPhone OS Multitasking A No-Brainer Necessity; Freedom Of Choice In Work Computers; Survey Finds Macs Have Lower TCO than PCs; Mobile Edge Laptop And Netbook Cases Now Checkpoint Friendly; Taking Apart the 12" PowerBook
Thursday, March 18 2010 @ 11:57 AM ET | Article Link
Charles Moore's The Agenda -- What's Happening Today In The Laptop World
The iPad Makes iPhone OS Multitasking A No-Brainer Necessity
PC World's Tony Bradley notes that as the one-year anniversary of the iPhone 3GS launch, one of the most-wanted, and most-speculated about features for the next-generation iPhone OS is true multitasking capability among apps, and that multitasking, or lack thereof, has been one of the most prominant complaints about the iPhone as a serious business smartphone.
Bradley observes that the iPhone OS is already capable of some limited multitasking, but cautions that adding true multitasking facility will introduce issues such as diminished battery life, performance slowdowns with multiple apps. competing for processor power and memory, the need for enhanced app. management complexity, and increased security vulnerability - compromises that up to now have arguably made not including multitasking in the iPhone OS defensible and even advantageous for iPhone users.
However, he agrees that basing the iPad on the iPhone OS changes the equation as regards multitasking entirely, with the tablet's substantially larger display able to tile or cascade multiple open app. windows ad switch back and forth as we're accustomed to doing with desktop and notebook computers, observing that continued lack of multitasking would constitute a serious handicap to the iPad - even greater than its inability to view Adobe Flash, and when one factors in potential business uses for the iPad, multitasking becomes a critical element.
I agree, and it's notable that the volume of grumbling about no multitasking has cranked up by several magnitudes of intensity since the iPad announcement. Personally, going back to working without multitasking would be too much like reverting to Mac System 6 before MultiFinder.
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Want an iPhone And A Netbook At Work? Here's Why You Should Have Them
It's about time we were allowed to choose the hardware we use at work for ourselves, says silicon.com editor Steve Ranger, declaring that when it comes to office-issue technology, everybody knows exactly what they've got, when they got it - and how much they hate it. Which, in most cases, is quite a lot, noting that mobile phones and laptops aren't like desks and office chairs, whatever your corporate procurement people might think, and that that the vast difference between the type of technology workers appreciate and those that they actually end up using is perfectly illustrated by a piece of research published last week in which it was found that even though European business chiefs thought Apple had the best brand for smartphones, they ended up with a BlackBerry, and while they thought Apple was the best laptop maker, their IT department delivered them a Dell.....
Why not give workers the money you'd be spending on hardware and support, and let them get on with it says Ranger. It's an option more companies are looking at.....
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Survey of IT Administrators Finds Macs Have Lower Management Costs than PCs
No surprise to longtime Mac users, but response to an annual survey concluded in January 2010 by the Enterprise Desktop Alliance found 66% of 322 IT administrators from large organizations with both Macs and PCs stating that their organization expects to increase the number of Macs in their sites. The respondents cited "user preference," "[increased] productivity," and "ease of technical support" as leading reasons for choosing Macs.
29% of the respondents cited lower total cost of ownership as one of the key reasons their organization buys Macs. Overall 45% cited lower total cost of ownership, ease of technical support, or both, as a significant factor in their Mac purchases.
The full survey inquired about buying plans, IT management and administration issues, and the cost of managing the systems. Related to the cost of managing Macs, the survey asked the respondents to estimate the relative cost of a number of factors including: software license fees, time troubleshooting, user training, help desk calls, system configuration, and supporting infrastructure (servers, network, and printers).
"Administrators in organizations that have both Mac and PC platforms have the experience todetermine whether managing Macs is less expensive," T. Reid Lewis, CEO of Group Logic, and president of the Enterprise Desktop Alliance is quoted commenting. "The members of the Enterprise Desktop Alliance provide products and services that make deployment and management of Macs easier to do."
Respondents were given the option to select from a range of cost differences. Not only did the administrators across the board say that Macs were less expensive, in all but one category the majority of administrators who said Macs cost less said they were more than 20% less expensive to manage than PCs. Of those who asserted that PCs cost less, the majority always asserted that PCs were between 0 and 20% less expensive to manage than Macs.
"As a greater percentage of enterprise applications become OS-neutral, the cost to support a more diverse hardware and OS mix will decrease, making Macs a more viable choice for a greater number of users who continue to demand them," according to Michael Silver, vice president and research director at Gartner in the their report, "Gartner Predicts 2010: PC End-User Issues." "Providers that sell enterprise-class Mac solutions and Mac services may see an increase in demand."
The survey also explored the major issues for IT administrators in sites that had Macs. 81% said that parity in integration and management between Macs and PCs is important to their organization. In looking more closely at the issues of importance to the organizations, security and file sharing among systems emerged as the leading concerns.
Details regarding the survey questions and responses can be found in a survey report published at the Enterprise Desktop Alliance website:
http://www.enterprisedesktopalliance.com/resource_center.html
For more information, visit:
http://www.enterprisedesktopalliance.com
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Mobile Edge Laptop And Netbook Cases Now Checkpoint Friendly
Mobile Edge, maker of stylish laptop computer carrying cases and accessories, has expanded their ScanFast Checkpoint Friendly Collection with full-featured netbook carrying cases, the first TSA Compliant Netbook Case Collection on the market. Netbook computer owners are looking for a more substantial case for their smaller computers, something more than a simple sleeve. As a result of this demand, Mobile Edge created the Edge Netbook Briefcase, Messenger Bag and Backpack - all designed to be Checkpoint Friendly.
Adding to their existing ScanFast!" Collection of TSA compliant Laptop Cases, Mobile Edge now offers the largest line of Checkpoint Friendly Cases in the industry. Whether you have an 8.9 Netbook or a 17.3 wide screen laptop, Mobile Edge has a solution for you.
Designed specifically for sleek ultra portable netbooks (and of course the forthcoming Apple iPad), each Edge Netbook Case has an adjustable computer protection compartment that will adjust for 8.9 to 11.6 netbooks with a power supply or up to 13.3 Notebooks.
Recent industry studies report that unit sales of netbook computers more than doubled during 2009 and are expected to exceed 39 million units this year. A result of the lower price points and increased functionality, the Netbook format is now a well established segment of the portable PC market.
"We are delighted to bring the enhanced travel convenience of Checkpoint Friendly carrying cases to the rapidly growing market of Netbook users," says G. David Cartwright, President & CEO, Mobile Edge. "With products like these new Netbook ScanFast cases, Mobile Edge continues to develop innovative new carrying case products to make life easier for portable computer users."
The Edge ScanFast Netbook Case Collection consists of three product styles; the traditional Edge Briefcase - MEUEBC, the on-the-go Messenger Bag - MEUEMB and the versatile Edge Backpack - MEUEBP. The Edge ScanFast Netbook Cases are now shipping at a suggested retail price of $49.99. A new ScanFast Netbook Briefcase for women will be released this summer.
Mobile Edge continues to expand the laptop carrying case category by offering new, innovative and smart designs that fuse fashion trends with form and function, creating a brand that makes a positive statement about today's mobile computing lifestyle.
Mobile Edge is committed to the highest quality standards in every case that it produces, from women's briefcases, portfolios and totes, to men s messenger bags, backpacks, Netbook cases and their new ScanFast Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Collection. Recently acquired Sumo is a lifestyle brand with San Francisco roots focused on fashion forward products that break the mold and offer alternatives to the boring and mundane.
Both Mobile Edge and Sumo offer the strongest product warranty in the industry. Available online at:
Mobile Edge
http://www.mobileedge.com/scanfast-checkpoint-friendly-laptop-cases
and
Sumo Cases
http://www.sumolifestyle.com/
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Taking Apart the 12" PowerBook
Low End Mac's John Hatchett says When you go to strip apart an Apple laptop, you have to remove the keyboard.
Now once you remove the keyboard from my old Pismo, you have access to the processor, AirPort Card, RAM, and hard drive. Not so with the 12" PowerBook G4.....
bookmystique@pbcentral.com
Could The iPad Really Kill The Mac, Or Was Intel x86 An Interim Step Toward Apple Silicon Independence?
Thursday, March 18 2010 @ 9:16 AM ET | Article Link
by Charles W. Moore -
PC Mag’s Sascha Segan thinks that the rise of the iPhone OS-based iPad could spell the end of the Macintosh as we know it -- and that the Mac’s greatest enemy may ultimately not be archrival Microsoft Windows, but rather but Apple itself, citing Apple’s COO Tim Cook himself defining Apple as a “mobile devices company” at a recent Goldman Sachs technology conference. Read More...
Could The iPad Really Kill The Mac, Or Was Intel x86 An Interim Step Toward Apple Silicon Independence?
Thursday, March 18 2010 @ 9:16 AM ET | Article Link
by Charles W. Moore
PC Mag’s Sascha Segan thinks that the rise of the iPhone OS-based iPad could spell the end of the Macintosh as we know it -- and that the Mac’s greatest enemy may ultimately not be archrival Microsoft Windows, but rather but Apple itself, citing Apple’s COO Tim Cook himself defining Apple as a “mobile devices company” at a recent Goldman Sachs technology conference. Read More...
Save $350 with Apple refurbished 15" MacBook Pros
Thursday, March 18 2010 @ 9:04 AM ET | Article Link
The Apple Store
has Apple Certified Refurbished 15" MacBook Pros available for up to $350 off the cost of new models. Each MacBook comes with an Apple one-year warranty, and shipping is free:
- 15" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $1949 $350 off MSRP
- 15" 2.66GHz MacBook Pro: $1699 $300 off MSRP
- 15" 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: $1449 $250 off MSRP
Save $200 with Apple Refurbished 13" MacBook Pros
Thursday, March 18 2010 @ 9:03 AM ET | Article Link
The Apple Store has Apple Certified Refurbished 13" MacBook Pros available again for $200 off MSRP. Each MacBook comes with an Apple one-year warranty, and shipping is free:
- 13" 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: $1299 $200 off MSRP
- 13" 2.26GHz MacBook Pro: $999 $200 off MSRP
iMacs on sale for up to $150 off MSRP, free shipping
Wednesday, March 17 2010 @ 9:31 AM ET | Article Link
Take up to $150 off the price of new 21" or 27" iMacs at MacConnection after applicable mail-in rebate. Shipping is free. Altogether, their prices are the lowest we've seen from any Apple Authorized Reseller.
- 27" 2.66GHz iMac: $1849 $150 off MSRP
- 27" 3.06GHz iMac: $1599 $100 off MSRP
- 21" 3.06GHz iMac/ATI graphics: $1399 $100 off MSRP
- Base 21" 3.06GHz iMac/NVIDIA graphics: $1099 $100 off MSRP
MacBook Pros on sale for up to $250 off MSRP
Wednesday, March 17 2010 @ 9:30 AM ET | Article Link
Take up to $250 off the price a MacBook Pro at MacConnection after mail-in rebate. Shipping is free.
- 17" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $2249 $250 off MSRP
- 15" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $2089 $210 off MSRP
- 15" 2.66GHz MacBook Pro: $1799 $200 off MSRP
- 15" 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: $1579 $120 off MSRP
- 13" 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: $1399 $100 off MSRP
- 13" 2.26GHz MacBook Pro: $1119 $80 off MSRP
Their prices are the lowest we've seen for these models from any Apple Authorized Reseller.
13" 2.26GHz MacBook available for $899, $100 off MSRP
Wednesday, March 17 2010 @ 9:30 AM ET | Article Link
MacConnection has the 13" 2.26GHz White MacBook on sale today for $899.99 after a $65 mail-in rebate. Shipping is free. Their price is $100 MSRP, and it's the lowest we've seen for this model from any Apple Authorized Reseller.
Optional bundles include a Targus carrying case plus an all-in-one HP Deskjet F4280 printer, both for free after mail-in rebates.
Is The iPad Computing's Next Leap Forward?; What's Next For iPad?; iPad Keyboard Dock Coming In Late April; iPad 10W USB Power Adapter; Intel's Affordable SSD; My Passport SE for Mac Ultra-portable Hard Drive
Wednesday, March 17 2010 @ 8:54 AM ET | Article Link
Charles Moore's The Agenda -- What's Happening Today In The Laptop World
Is The iPad Computing's Next Leap Forward?
Computerworld's Michael Deagonia says that in the nearly two decades since the laptop's invention we've entered an era where portability is as necessary as a constant connection, and in this new era, the laptop form factor has become increasingly unwieldy. He cont4ends that Unless you're sitting down, using one is an awkward balancing act and not exactly the best fit for an increasingly mobile world.
Point taken, although I often use a laptop while standing, albeit on a stand sitting elevating it above workbench height, which is not what he's getting at.
Deagonia notes that PC manufacturers have worked around the inherent mobile use awkwardness of their products by building smaller and smaller laptops -- hence some of the impetus behind the netbook/mini-note phenomenon, even though netbooks are typically cramped and underpowered, but even a small netbook or laptop incorporates on the same, in Deagonia's view "increasingly outdated" clamshell form factor with a flip-up screen and computer/keyboard base.
I'll not dispute that the clamshell configuration is compromised ergonomically unless used in conjunction with an elevation stand and in most instances external input devices for any but short stints of use on the go, but, in my estimation, no one has yet come up with a better compromise, and that includes the iPad.
Deagonia maintains that the iPhone changed the game and with the release of the iPad on April 3, Apple is moving to the logical next step in the evolution of portable computing.
I'm not so sure, at least if he's implying that the keyboardless, connectivity-challenged, software ecosystem locked-down iPad based on touchscreen technology can mount a serious challenge to the clamshell laptop for serious portable users.
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iPad 2.0: What's Next For The Apple Tablet?
T3 Magazine picks up on that topic by addressing the iPad mark one's manifold shortcomings as a serious computing platform and speculates as to what its next generation will bring to the table?
Their on what the follow-up to the iPad could be packing include:
Smart bezels
Dual connectors
3D screen
Flash support
Multi-tasking
Camera
To which I would add at the top of the list some sort of real portable keyboard -- whether a clip-on or slide-out, mouse drivers, and some USB ports backed-up by printer drivers.
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Apple Reveals iPad Keyboard Dock Coming In Late April
Apple's iPad Keyboard Dock combines a dock for charging your iPad with a full-size keyboard, which includes special keys that activate iPad features. The dock has a rear 30-pin connector, which lets you connect to an electrical outlet using the USB Power Adapter, sync to your computer, and use accessories like the iPad Camera Connection Kit. An audio jack lets you connect to a stereo or powered speakers (audio cable sold separately).
With the iPad Keyboard Dock, you get a useful home base for your iPad. It combines a built-in aluminum Apple keyboard with a dock for syncing, charging, and more. It also works with other iPad accessories, such as the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter and the iPad Camera Connection Kit.
Here are some ways you can use the iPad Keyboard Dock:
• Connect the dock to your computer with the USB cable included with your iPad to sync iPad and charge its battery.
• Connect the dock to an electrical outlet using the iPad 10W USB Power Adapter (included with your iPad) to charge the iPad battery.
• Use the dock to hold your iPad at the perfect angle to compose email and notes using the keyboard or to watch your favorite videos or photo slideshows.
• Connect the dock to a TV or video projector using a compatible cable such as the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter or the Apple Component or Composite AV Cable.*
• Connect the dock to a stereo or speakers using an AV cable or a stereo audio cable to play music from iPad.*
* Cables sold separately.
The attached keyboard features a typically aApple anodized aluminum enclosure with low-profile keys that are claimed to provide a crisp, responsive feel in an ultracompact design that fits on even crowded desks. Special keys provide one-touch access to a variety of iPad features — the Home screen, Spotlight search, display brightness, picture frame mode, the onscreen keyboard, and screen lock.
Price: $69.00
Ships in late April (Free Shipping}
For more information, visit:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC533LL/A
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iPad 10W USB Power Adapter
The iPad 10W USB Power Adapter lets you charge your iPad directly through an electrical outlet, and the 6-foot-long power cord allows you to charge it from an even greater distance.
You can use this ultracompact and convenient USB-based power adapter to charge your iPad at home, on the road, or whenever it's not connected to a computer. You can connect the adapter directly to your iPad or to an iPad Dock.
Featuring a compact design, this power adapter offers fast, efficient charging and includes a 6-foot-long power cord so you can plug it in under a desk or behind the couch. It also charges iPhone and all iPod models with a dock connector.
Price: $29.00
Ships: May
For more information, visit:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC359LL/A
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Not Breaking Up With Windows, But Seeing Other People
TechRepublic's Jason Hiner says that for many enterprises, 2010 is going to be the year they decide whether or not to jump on board with Windows 7, or stick with Windows XP indefinitely until there s a compelling reason to migrate to something new. As TechRepublic s CIO Jury showed, it s still a 50/50 tossup.
Personally, Jason says he's going through the same thing, albeit, on a much smaller scale, testing lots of different machines and using multiple operating systems - last week, for example, using five different operating systems on eight different computers - but that for a decade, all of his primary computers have run Windows. However, that's about to change with Jason's decision to avoid Windows 7, whenever possible, and rely on Mac and Linux to power his primary systems.
Noting that while from a technological standpoint, Windows 7 isn't too bad, Jason's issues with Windows 7 are mostly bigger concerns with Microsoft such as that it still badly overcharges customers for Windows and should have made Windows 7 a free upgrade for Vista owners; that Windows 7 does very little to innovate on the OS; that Microsoft refuses to change the default installation of Windows for better reliability, and that after so many versions, Windows 7 feels like the Weasley's house in Harry Potter, with stuff bolted on all over the place
To read more, click here.
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=3917
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My Passport SE for Mac Ultra-portable Hard Drives 1 TB, USB 2.0
This sleek portable external drive is Mac-ready and offers ample capacity to store and secure all the photos and files of your creative life.
Designed for Mac, this sleek, portable drive now features more capacity than ever to store all the important memories of your digital life. It's also compatible with Apple Time Machine and includes password protection and hardware encryption.
Only a few millimeters thicker to accommodate our highest capacity mobile drives. Plenty of room for all your creative files.
Formatted for Mac and compatible with Apple Time Machine this drive is plug-and-play ready for Mac computer users.
An extra level of security with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.
Product Features
• Maximum capacity, maximum style - Store all your favorite videos, music, photos, and important files. Although it's still sleek and compact, it's ideal for storing the large files of creative professionals.
• Designed for Mac - Formatted for Mac and compatible with Apple Time Machine, this drive is plug-and-play ready for Mac computer users.
• Drive lock - Gain peace of mind knowing that your data is protected from unauthorized access or theft with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.
WD SmartWare - See your life safe in one place.
• See your backup as it happens – Seeing is believing. Visual backup displays your content in categories and shows the progress of your backup.
• Protect your data automatically – Relax, your data is secure.
• Automatic, continuous backup will instantly make a second copy whenever you add or change a file.
• Bring back lost files effortlessly – Retrieve your valuable data to its original location whether you've lost all your data or just overwritten an important file.
• Take control – Customize your backup, set drive security, run diagnostics, manage the power settings, and more from the WD SmartWare control center.
• USB 2.0 interface - Powered directly from the USB port on your PC. No separate power supply is needed.
* An optional cable is available for the few computers that limit power from the USB port.
• Planet friendly - small box from recycled materials to minimize waste.
Compatibility
• Formatted HFS+ Journaled
• Mac OS X Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard
Price: US$199.99
For more information, visit:
http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=807
bookmystique@pbcentral.com
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