New Apple MacBook Pros announced - October 14th 2008

Apple held a press event today, October 14th 2008. Steve Jobs took to the stage and announced some superb new products, including a newly designed MacBook Pro. As the actual specification is awaiting update on their website, this is the gist of what we will be treated to. Of note the top of the MacBook Pro is made of one rigid piece of Aluminum, so is ultra-tough and light.

  • New NVidia 9400M graphics card
  • NVidia 9600M GT 512MB GPU option
  • 5 hours battery (9400M) or 4 hours (9600M GT)
  • Multitouch glass trackpad (39% more tracking space than current MacBook Pro)
  • Button is built right into the trackpad (no physical clicky button)
  • Multi-button via software
  • New four-finger gestures
  • Glass display with black bezel (like the current iMac)
  • All the ports down one side
  • Black keyboard, backlit, same key shape as current MacBook & Air
  • Magnetic Latch (yes!)
  • LED backlit display
  • Stereo speakers
  • Magnetic latch
  • Sudden motion sensor
  • Built-in iSight & Mic (no change there)
  • Ports; Gigabit Ethernet, Firewire 800, two USB ports, MagSafe, Mini Display Port, ExpressCard 34 slot, Audio In/Out (analog and digital)
  • 0.95-inches thin
  • Battery & hard drive accessible by the user (yippee)
  • £1,399 gets you a 15-inch, 2.4GHz Core2Duo, 2GB RAM, 250GB HD, NVidia 9400M + 9600M GT 256MB
  • £1,749 gets you a 15-inch, 2.53GHz Core2Duo, 4GB RAM, 320GB HD, 9400M + 9600M GT 512MB
  • Sounds like from the above you are getting two graphics cards, which you are, the MacBook Pro features both the NVIDIA 9400M integrated graphics processor and a high-performance NVIDIA 9600M GT discrete graphics processor
  • £1,949 gets you a 17-inch, old design case, 4GB RAM, 320GB HD, NVidia 8600M GT 512MB
  • All models come with SuperDrive

Both of these models will be shipping today and 'in stores tomorrow'. Wowza!

 

New Apple MacBooks announced - October 14th 2008

Apple held a press event today, October 14th 2008. Amongst other things they announced a new iteration of their MacBook. This new version looks super sleek, super exciting, and has some super new features (wow that is 3xsuper, must be good). It basically looks like a mini iMac with a keyboard attached.

  • Entry level £719 model (old white plastic design)
  • 13.3-inch LED backlit display
  • Magnetic latch (no change there)
  • Glass multi-touch trackpad
  • Mini Display Port connector
  • NVidia 9400M graphics
  • 5 hours of battery life (this will be my next blogging tool)
  • £949 for 2GHz Core2Duo, NVidia 9400M, 2GB RAM, 160GB HD, SuperDrive
  • £1,149 for 2.4GHz Core2Duo, NVidia 9400M, 250GB HD, SuperDrive, Backlit keyboard
  • Upgrades avalable to 320GB HD, 128GB SSD, DVI, Dual DVI and VGA adapters
  • Ships today (well actually 7 days for the UK), in stores tomorrow (fantastic news, where is my credit card!)

I will bring you more news and images as they become available.

 

New MacBooks - Apple Event October 14th

Wow, this is exciting news. Engadget is reporting to have received an invitation to a Notebook event at Apple, 10am, San Francisco. With their copy of the invitation here, this could well be the event where MacBooks leave behind their plastic and go for a full metal jacket. The Apple Pro website (here) has also posted what is claimed to be the new casings of this wonderful machine. Expect full updates on Geekanoids as we learn more.

Geekanoids News #7 - 6th October 2008

Another week another news, but this week finds me wet and fed up with the constant rain. The news stops for nothing though, so we look at rumoured MacBooks, a new Seagate external hard drive for the Mac and the T-Mobile G1 Google Android mobile phone.

Stuff Live starts REALLY soon

As you are aware, I have attended Stuff Live for many years. It is a great opportunity to see some of the latest in the tech world. Well, Stuff are once again bringing the UK’s premier home cinema, gadget and technology show to London. Yes that’s right, put the dates in your diary for Stuff Live 2008, in association with What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision, from 31st October – 2nd November 2008.

Highlights of the event include the Guitar Hero Stage where they will be hosting the first ever UK competitions throughout each day. There will be great prizes for the winners so ROCK IT TO WIN IT! So come and show off your skills in front of a live audience at the UK's leading technology show!

The show will also feature a Chill-Out Lounge where the Games Room Company will be providing the best and most luxurious games equipment you can buy. Challenge your friends at Pool, Air Hockey, Pinball, 'old Skool' Arcade games and much more in a specially tailored Chill-Out Zone. There will also be the world’s first hovering chair worth £5,000, and product showcases from the likes of Canon, Sonos, Tom Tom, Tvonics, LG, Jolida, Asus, Archos, Pure Digital and many more.

The winners of the What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision annual awards and the Stuff magazine 2008 Awards will also be exhibited at the show. The winners are announced at an annual awards ceremony in London, this October.

The new website to point your browser to is www.stufflive.co.uk. It is packed with more information on exhibitors, activities, competitions and show information than ever before. Highlighting the very best products on show this year, from hi-fi and home cinema entertainment packages, digital cameras to robots, as well as providing advice and tips on new product launches, and what to see and do at this year’s show... I might even see you there.

Ticket sales
Tickets, which cost £20 for adults, and £10 for children under 16 years of age plus a £1 booking fee, on sale the website now www.stufflive.co.uk or by calling 0870 040 0383.

Could the HTC Touch 3G be my next iPhone?

It saddens me to write this, but I find my faith in the iPhone diminishing more every day. Yes, of course I love it... it is my music player, movie and podcast machine, organiser and phone (not camera). The trouble is I want something a little different. In the early days it was really different to own Apple gear, but since the mass consumer appeal of the iPhone 3G, well things have changed.

The devices from HTC have always interested me, but their new Touch 3G looks very promising. Not to steal someone elses hard work, check out this excellent first take over at CNET Asia.

Griffin Announces Simplifi - Smart charging for iPod & iPhone

Griffin Technology Inc., creator of all things iPod, today announced availability of Simplifi, a desktop solution that allows users to reclaim their desktops by consolidating an iPod and iPhone dock, media card reader and USB hub into a single, attractive device.

I post a lot of news like this, but when I got this news of the Simplifi I was amazed. This is the one iPod device that I could have done with years ago... expect to see a review soon [Dave].

"At Griffin, we know that users are syncing and charging more than just iPod and iPhone on their desktops," said Paul Griffin, founder of Griffin Technology. "With all the cables and connectors used today, the desktop can easily be overrun with clutter. Simplifi gives the iPod and iPhone enthusiast a stylish and easy way to consolidate all of their peripherals with a single, convenient device."

Simplifi charges iPhone and all dock-rechargeable iPod models that charge via USB. Additionally, Simplifi boasts a USB mini cable for syncing the iPod or iPhone with a computer. Its USB ports can handle keyboards, printers, cameras, flash drives, scanners, external hard drives or anything USB 2.0-compatible. Simplifi also includes an AC adapter for those USB devices that need a powered port.

  • A simple, versatile way to de-clutter the desktop
  • Sleek, anodized aluminum design
  • 2-port powered USB hub; includes AC adapter
  • Charge/sync hub for iPhone and USB chargeable iPod models
  • Reads and writes the most popular digital media cards, including Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SD, SDHC, xD and CompactFlash (CF)


Pricing and Availability
Griffin's Simplifi, $69.99, is now available at major retailers and on Griffin's website here.

 

Stuff.tv vidcast entry - I love my Stuff!

Don't worry guys and gals... Geekanoids will continue to run and run, bringing you news and reviews for your consumption. However, I do aspire to greener grass, or errr fruitier pastures. Having been a reader of Stuff magazine for a long time, I just had to enter their Vidcast competition... wish me luck.

You can watch the video below, or by clicking this link.