After about 20 days of using a MacBook Unibody, I decided to get myself a MacBook Pro Unibody because of my Applications Development requirements. The MacBook is not powerful enough to cope up with my needs. I’ve been using my new MacBook Pro for about 5 days now and here’s my review about this new generation of MacBook Pro.
So what’s changed?
- Precision Aluminum Enclosure - the enclosure of the new MacBook Pro is made from a single block of aluminum and is almost seamless with only two panels at the bottom. The brushed finish is also a real beauty.
- LED-backlit LCD - the LCD is now LED-backlit unlike the CCFL-backlit display of the old MacBook Pro. The display panel is also 30% thinner because of the new display technology.
- Button-less Glass Trackpad - the trackpad of the new MacBook Pro is bigger and button-less and made of glass. It’s button-less because the trackpad itself is a button. The new glass material makes the trackpad smooth and easier to use.
- It’s Thinner at 0.95 inch - the last generation of MacBook Pro is thin at 1 inch thick but this new generation is even thinner at 0.95 inch thick.
- Illuminated Keyboard - the keyboard of the new MacBook Pro is that of the MacBook Air. It’s illuminated that makes working in the low-light conditions a breeze. Of course the luminuosity can be adjusted through the newly added function keys.
- Mini DisplayPort - Apple has removed the DVI port and replaced it with the industry standard Mini DisplayPort. Adapters are not included though.
- No More Firewire 400 - The new MacBook Pro now has only one Firewire 800 port unlike before it has one Firewire 400 and one Firewire 800.
- New GPU - the new MacBook Pro comes with a built-in shared Video, the NVidia 9400M. It also has NVidia 9400 GT with dedicated 256MB or 512MB VRAM. (256MB for the 2.4GHz and 512MB for the 2.54GHz)
- Longer Battery Life - Apple claims 5 hours of mobile productivity with the new Lithium Polymer battery of the MacBook Pro. It has been tested to last 5 hours when using the NVidia 9400M GPU with shared memory. I tested mine while running on the dedicated video and I got 4 hours of mobile productivity with Wi-Fi turned on.
The eclosure has two pannels at the bottom. The battery panel where you’ll see the battery and the hard drive. It’s now easier to upgrade the harddrive unlike before. Replacing or upgrading the Memory modules now requires you to remove the bigger panel using standard philips screw driver. Instructions on these can be found on the printed documentation that came with the MacBook Pro.
The new LCD is glossy unlike the matte finish of the last generation MacBook Pro’s LCD. This is one thing I don’t like. Working outdoors renders the screen unreadable even if the brightness is set to the highest level.
Photos after the jump:
MacBook Pro, Reviews
Apple, MacBook Pro Unibody, Reviews
Wanting to buy a new Mac? Then you should really get a new Mac this Friday as Apple give big discounts.
MacMall and BestBuy has already rolled out discounts. Let’s see what Apple’s own Black Friday sale prices will be.
[via Engadget]
News
Apple, Mac, Mac Sale
Apple has recently released the iPhone OS 2.2 for iPhone and iPhone 3G and iPod Touch. The new software addresses several issues on the iPhone OS.
The following is a list of what’s new on this new version of iPhone OS:
- New Safari Interface - the search bar is now in line with the address bar.
- Toggle Auto-correction - they already included a toggle switch for auto-correction on the Keyboard settings.
- Street View for Maps - the built-in Maps application now comes with street view.
- Pressing the Home Button now brings you to the first page of your home screen - if you are on another page on your home screen and you want to go back to the first one, all you have to do is press the home button and it’ll bring you to the first page.
- Dozens of Bug Fixes - this new software includes dozens of bug fixes. Details can be found here.
Read more…
iPhone
Apple, iPhone OS, iPhone Updates
I know this is kinda late but it’s better late than never. I want to use the device for at least a month before I do a review. So here we are, a detailed review of the iPhone 3G Hardware and Software.
Apple has made a lot of changes on the iPhone since the release of the original iPhone in 2007. The original iPhone was only released by AT&T in the United States and was available in other countries unofficially.
First off, the Hardware.
The iPhone 3G has the following technical specifications:
- 115.5mm X 62.1mm X 12.3mm - a little thicker and wider than the original iPhone.
- 3.5″ LCD at 480×320 163ppi resolution - still the same as the original iPhone but the color tone is warmer and more yellowish than the bluish tone of the original iPhone.
- UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
- GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
- Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
- Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
- 8GB and 16GB model - the 16GB model comes in White and Black colors.
- Plastic back cover - unlike the original iPhone, the iPhone 3G now has a plastic back cover. Apple made this change because radio signal reception is better with plastic than metal. Also the back cover is slightly tapered on the edges making the iPhone more comfortable to hold in your palm.
The volume control buttons, sleep button and silent button are still in their original places but this time it’s made of metal and no longer plastic.
Read more…
Reviews, iPhone
Apple, iPhone, iPhone 3G, Review
Apple’s iPhone and iPhone 3G won’t work with SIM cards from unsupported carriers. The iPhone was carried only by AT&T in the United States. Here in the Philippines, it wasn’t released at all. For the iPhone to be unlocked, you have to insert a supported SIM card and activate the phone through iTunes. At the current state of the IT age, almost everything is possible. With the help of a tool called Pwnage or QuickPwn, iPhone can be unlocked, jailbroken and activated for use with unsupported carriers. Of course everything has its pros and cons. Now what are the pros and cons of using a jailbroken software? Let’s take a look.
First off, the pros. With a jailbroken software, third party applications that aren’t approved by Apple can be installed through Cydia and Installer.app application manager. These software are not found in the iTunes App Store and are not supported by apple. Modification of the iPhone’s core files is also possible through SSH (Secured Shell) by installing OpenSSH through Cydia.
Read more…
iPhone
Apple, iPhone, Jailbreaking
