Thursday, February 24, 2011

Apple : Mac OS X Lion unleashed to developers

Apple : Mac OS X Lion unleashed to developers

Mac OS X Lion unleashed to developers

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 09:01 AM PST

Apple has quickly followed up the announcement of a new line of Intel Thunderbird-powered MacBook Pros with the news that it is nearing the release of its next operating system, Mac OS X Lion.

The new Mac operating system is expected to arrive at some point later this summer, with Apple releasing a developer preview of the new OS this week.

Devs catch the early Lion

As of today, devs will be able to get hold of Mac OS X Lion, providing they are members of Apple's Mac Developer Program.

This will give developers a bit of time to familiarise themselves with Apple's new operating system before it arrives later this year.

With new multitouch gestures, full-screen app control options and more, Apple promises that Mac OS X Lion "takes some of the best ideas from iPad and brings them back to the Mac."

Mission Control calling

"The iPad has inspired a new generation of innovative features in Lion," said Philip Schiller, Apple's SVP of worldwide product marketing.

"Developers are going to love Mission Control and Launchpad, and can now start adding great new Lion features like full screen, gestures, Versions and Auto Save to their own apps."

Expect lots more on Apple's new Mac OS X Lion features such as Mission Control and Launchpad over the coming months as we approach release.

FaceTime for Mac costs 59p

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 07:49 AM PST

Apple has announced that current Mac users will need to pay a whole 59 pence to download the new version of FaceTime for Mac, although those buying the new MacBook Pro laptops will get it for free.

59p is hardly going to break anybody's bank, and if you are parting with the best part of a grand or more for a new MacBook Pro, then you surely would expect to get Apple's latest version of its video-calling software bundled in!

59 pence to vid-call

"FaceTime is included with all new MacBook Pro models and is available for other Intel-based Macs from the Mac App Store for £0.59 (99c)," Apple joyfully says in its launch press release for the new MacBook Pros.

Apple iPhone 4 and (latest model) iPod touch users are still able to use FaceTime for free, which means that you will now be able to share your face over the internet with any Mac user, or any new MacBook Pro owner rocking Apple's new "FaceTime HD camera."

We will be sure to test out the high-def versions of Apple's latest FaceTime offering between new MacBook Pro laptops as soon as we can.

For now, if you have a Mac, you can grab the app over at the Mac App Store to give it a whirl.

In Depth: Intel Thunderbolt in Apple MacBook Pro explained

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 07:25 AM PST

Apple's new MacBook Pro is the first computer to include a new connectivity technology called Thunderbolt. But what is it?

The answer, is that it's actually a rebrand of Intel's long-talked of Light Peak technology – Light Peak, it appears, was a codename. Thunderbolt is a new cable interface enabling you to connect up compatible devices – and, crucially, existing devices too.

Thunderbolt also supports electrical cables as well as optical and it's this version of Thunderbolt that's in the MacBook Pro.

And, if adopted across the industry, should lead to lighter and thinner laptops from all manufacturers.

As Apple says, "Thunderbolt delivers PCI Express directly to external high performance peripherals such as RAID arrays, and can support FireWire and USB consumer devices and Gigabit Ethernet networks via adaptors."

Intel thunderbolt

THUNDERBOLT CABLES: Apple's cabling for Thunderbolt

The tech also supports DisplayPort for HD displays and can, through more adaptors, connect up HDMI, DVI and VGA displays.

So it's a connector that can replace literally all other connectors on your PC. Wow. If you're a peripherals manufacturer, you should be making Thunderbolt adaptors for everything, right now.

So how fast is it? There's massive bandwidth available with Thunderbolt – up to 10 Gbps, which could grow by up to 10 times that by 2020.

Intel thunderbolt

Thunderbolt means you can now transfer an entire Blu-ray disc in 30 seconds or a year's worth of back-to-back MP3s in 10 minutes. And it's dual-channel, which means information can flow both ways, as you can see here:

Intel thunderbolt

Thunderbolt can also power bus-powered devices over the connections while Intel promises that files can have highly accurate time synchronisation too.

Intel demonstrated the technology inside a laptop nearly a year ago when it sent two HD video streams across a single Light Peak connection. You can also daisy chain devices, seemingly without performance loss – there's a video of that in action here.

Of course, Light Peak is intended as a replacement for current connectivity standards including USB and eSATA – in fact, it could be a replacement for all storage and display standards.

Suddenly the MacBook Air, with its single USB port, doesn't look so limited. Surely MacBook Air 2011 means you'll be able to connect up everything via a single port.

It clearly shows Apple also believes in Intel's new technology. Of course, that doesn't automatically mean it will be a success. Apple also put the ExpressCard into the MacBook Pro a while back and, due to the rise in wireless connectivity and USB mobile broadband, that has died a death.

Intel thunderbolt

HOW IT WORKS: A block diagram of Thunderbolt

However, because this looks to be such a groundbreaking technology, it surely will seep into competing laptops and netbooks before long – depending on the duration of Apple's inevitable exclusivity deal of course.

Despite the huge potential for connecting to legacy display and storage standards, Thunderbolt will also need mass adoption inside PCs for external display and storage devices to use it natively.

One thing's for sure, if Intel and Apple can force the connection to permeate through the industry, it could be have interesting consequences for USB 3 and eSATA, which are still struggling to get a foothold in the market.

Intel thunderbolt

CONTROLLER: The Thunderbolt controller chip

New MacBook Pro line-up confirmed, Thunderbolt technology inside

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 06:00 AM PST

Apple has confirmed the existence of its new MacBook Pro line-up, with the 13, 15, and 17-inch models coming with next generation processors and graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime HD camera.

Available now from the Apple Store, the new MacBook Pro range is the company's greenest line-up ever and is up to twice as fast as the previous generation.

Speaking about the new range, Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said: "The new MacBook Pro brings next generation dual and quad Core processors, high performance graphics, Thunderbolt technology and FaceTime HD to the great design loved by our pro customers.

"Thunderbolt is a revolutionary new I/O technology that delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second and can support every important I/O standard which is ideal for the new MacBook Pro."

The new MacBook Pro line-up prices begin at £999 for the 13-inch version. Specs for the 13-inch model include either an Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors up to 2.7 GHz and Intel HD Graphics 3000.

The 15-inch screen and 17-inch screens feature quad-core Core i7 processors up to 2.3 GHz and AMD Radeon HD graphics processors with up to 1GB of video memory.

Thunderbolt from the blue

And what of this Thundebolt I/O magic Apple speaks of? Well, this ups transfer speeds of data, with the two bi-directional channels clocking up to10Gbps each.

Apple is calling this technology "a new standard for high performance I/O".

The MacBook Pros also have FaceTime, feature Apple's aluminium unibody chassis, Multi-Touch trackpad, LED-backlit widescreen display, illuminated full-size keyboard and 7-hour battery.

Price-wise, if you wanted the 15-inch model, then this starts at £1549, while the 17-inch model is available from £2099.

For more details go to www.apple.com/uk/macbookpro.

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