Apple : MacBook Air design patent could spell trouble for Ultrabooks

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MacBook Air design patent could spell trouble for Ultrabooks Posted: If you're a manufacturer planning to ape Apple's popular MacBook Air design, you might want to reconsider copying the notebook's unique wedge shape. That's because a new U.S. patent, D661,296, was issued this week, which allows Apple to stake claim to the swanky design, and they've got detailed drawings to prove it. Manufacturers making Intel-powered Ultrabooks have routinely "borrowed" from the playbook of Apple's MacBook Air, and with good reason - since being overhauled in late 2010 and dropping in price, the teardrop-shaped computers have been flying off the shelves. A wedge between competitors Judging from Apple drawings revealed this week, competitors will have to stay on their toes to avoid raising the ire of the company's patent lawyers. Copycat Ultrabooks don't only have the unique wedge shape to fear: Certain types of hinges, feet or even the shape of the back could still fall victim to the wide-ranging patent. The real question is, will Apple use its newfound design patent as a club in the same way they've done with rival smartphone makers? Time will tell.

Retina-ready Mac apps arrive ahead of WWDC 2012 Posted: The presence of a Retina Display on the anticipated MacBook Pro refresh has been as good as confirmed by Folderwatch, a tool in the Mac App Store which has been updated to include "Retina graphics". In the run-up to WWDC 2012 next week, the web is ablaze with rumours about what hardware updates could be announced. Chief among them is that 2012 MacBook Pros and Airs will be sporting a high-resolution Retina Display as seen in smaller form on the iPad and iPhone. The upgraded Mac app was also highlighted in a Twitter post by Folderwatch developer Brothers Roloff and again on the Folderwatch website. Apple approved Considering that app updates have to be approved by Apple and that Folderwatch has been an Apple Staff Favourite, it's not hard to imagine that Apple has been readying developers ahead of the release of Retina Display-equipped Macs. This latest development flies in the face of an alleged leaked spec sheet for the new 13-inch MacBook Pro which showed the same 1280x800 resolution display as the current model. For all the latest, check out Tech Radar's 2012 MacBook Pro news and rumours roundup and find out why the Retina Display is such a big deal.

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