Mac | Tech Ticker

The latest technology news and reviews, covering Microsoft, Apple and the web.

Archive for the ‘Mac’ Category

Mac Mini with HDMI and Blu-ray

March 2nd, 2010 Comments Off

According to sources at AppleInsider, Apple is preparing Mac mini’s for Hi-Definition HDMI output along with a possible Blu-ray drive option; set to release sometime this year. Prototype screens of the new Mac mini has been making rounds which surprisingly sports a HDMI connector instead of the traditional DVI-connector found on the current models of the mini’s.

If this rumor has some truth to it, the Mac mini would become only the second Apple product after Apple TV to feature HDMI port. All other Macs including the latest iMacs and MacBooks currently feature either the DVI port, or the mini DisplayPort connector.

The addition of HDMI may also bring Blu-ray drives option for the Mac mini. Blu-ray drives were first considered for the iMacs which were released late last year but they were dropped at the very last minute, citing high licensing fees and engineering difficulties.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Posted in Apple, Mac

Tags: Apple, Blu-ray, HDMI, Mac Mini

Apple working on how to bring touch to desktop computers

February 26th, 2010 Comments Off

Earlier this week, we learned Apple is hiring engineers to help it port the touchscreen-friendly iPhone OS into more gadgets.

Now, thanks to patents uncovered by MacRumors, we’ve got an idea what kind of other gadgets Apple is thinking about: Desktops.

MacRumors found a patent application called "Shape Deteccting Input Device." From 2004, It features the illustration on the right.

MacRumors says the application "proposes that a touch screen could be used not only as a pointer/input device but also a shape recognition device to essentially take the place of a key/lock system."

Whether we see this feature in the wild ever or not, make no mistake: Apple (AAPL) is actively working on making computing less of a keyboard and mouse experience, and more one that involves your fingers. (And why not make desktops more like the iPhone? People are buying iPhones and iPod touches like crazy.)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Posted in Apple, Mac

Tags: Apple, iMac, Mac, Touch

Office 2011 for Mac is shaping up

February 11th, 2010 Comments Off

Microsoft has outlined a number of new features in its upcoming Office for Mac 2011 release, including myriad tweaks to how users share and interact with documents.

“You’ve told us that working together across platforms is a priority to you and that’s why we are making Office for Mac 2011 the best, most compatible productivity suite on the Mac,” says Eric Wilfrid, MacBU General Manager at Microsoft Corp

The new features are as follows:

Co-authoring tools You and your co-workers now have the ability to work on a file from Word, PowerPoint or Excel from different locations, brainstorm ideas, and stay on the same page regardless of time, geography or platform.

Office Web Apps These make it easy to get your work done virtually anywhere. Gives giving you a simple way to access and share Office documents from any machine with an internet connection.

New user interface new design is an evolution of the Office 2008 Elements Gallery and uses the classic Mac menu and Standard Toolbar giving you the best of both worlds.

Outlook replaces Entourage Outlook for Mac replaces Entourage. It leverages the Exchange Web Services protocol and is being built using Cocoa, allowing for improved integration with the Mac OS. The system now also supports PST files.

Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 has a UK release date of later this year. Pricing is still to be announced.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Posted in Featured, Mac, Microsoft, Office

Tags: Mac, Microsoft, Office

Google Chrome for Mac loses feature found in Windows and Linux versions

December 13th, 2009 Comments Off

Most of us have problems with browsers, their inability to display pages properly or problems with speed and security. But with when Google built Chrome fro Mac it looks like they missed out one little feature.

So Google does this mean that we must make all of our web pages with the .aspx extension?

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted in Apple, Chrome, Featured, Google, Mac, Mac

Tags: Google Chrome

Two new laptops that can give Apple’s design and ethos a run for it’s money

August 27th, 2009 Comments Off

Macs have always been seen a premium, trendy machines that have a concept that PC manufacturers have never been able to get their heads around. Well that started to change around 2 years ago and since then PCs and laptops have started to become look more consumer friendly, look better and start to get a unique design of their own. Lots of PC users dream of owning a Mac for their style and simplicity but don’t want to pay the hefty price. Well it seems that Apple MacBooks have a lot of new rivals that are well over half the price, jam packed with features and have an Apple styling. I am talking about the awesome MSI X600 and the Advent Altro.

MSI X600

MSI X600

The X600 definitely has a MacBook look to it and MSI clearly have learned that simplicity is very important.

X600 Specifications

Processor & Cache	Intel® Centrino® 2 Processor Technology
Operating System	Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium (MSI recommends upgrade to Genuine Windows Vista® Business)
Chipsets	Intel® GS45 + ICH9M-SFF
System Memory	DDR2 667/800, Max: 4GB
LCD Display	15.6″ LCD Display
Graphics & Video Module	ATi Mobility Radeon HD 4330
Audio	4 speakers
HDD	2.5″ 250GB/320GB/500GB SATA
Webcam	1.3M
Card Reader	2-in1 Card Reader (SD/SDHC/MMC)
Communication Port	Built-in Gigabit Ethernet LAN Built-in 802.11b/g/n WLAN Card, Bluetooth is optional
I/O Port	D-Sub X 1 USB 2.0 Port X 2 Mic-in Port X 1 Headphone Output X 1 HDMI Port X 1 LAN Port X 1 E-SATA / USB Combo X 1
Keyboard	103 keys
AC Adaptor	65W
Battery Pack & Life	6/9 cells
Dimension & Weight	39.2cm x 25.5cm x 2.5cm 2.1KG (with 6 cells battery)

Advent Altro

Advent Altro

The Advent is a very cheap MacBook Air equivilant. There are two versions (the most expensive is just half the cost of a MacBook Air and is available from www.pcworld.co.uk and www.currys.co.uk )

There are two versions the Advent Altro which is £599.99 and the Advent Elite.

Advent Altro Specifications:

Intel^® Celeron^® Processor 723

- 3 GB memory

- 120GB Hard drive

- 13.3” widescreen display

- Webcam

- 4 hour battery life

- 1.6kg weight

- 21mm thick

- Gesture touch pad

- Bluetooth connectivity

Advent Elite specifications:

Processor Type	Intel Core 2 Solo Processor SU3500
Processor speed	(1.40 GHz, 800 MHz, 3 MB Cache)	The higher the number of Megahertz (MHZ) the faster the processor should be
Memory Size	3GB MB
Memory Type	DDR2
Hard Drive Capacity	120 GB	The bigger the capacity the more you can store
Optical Drives	N/A
Floppy Disk Drive	NO	Floppy disks are 3.5″ square and store a small amount of data. CDs,DVDs and memory sticks are now usually used instead
Screen Size/Type	13.3″ Widescreen Display
TV-out	NO	Allowing you to plug your laptop into a TV to watch DVDs
Wireless Enabled	YES	Allows you to connect to an existing wireless network such as in a office or a wireless hot spot
No. of USB Connections	1	The more connections the computer has the more equipment you can connect to your computer e.g. a modem, printer, scanner, digital camera, PDA
Infrared Port Included	NO	Allowing you to connect to other devices with infrared such as an infrared enabled mobile phone
Other Interfaces	Bluetooth, webcam
Battery Type	Lithium-ion
Battery life (up to)	4 hours
Software Titles Included	Works
Weight	1.6 kg	This is the weight of the appliance in KG
Height	21.8 mm
Width	226 mm
Depth	335 mm
Colour	Silver