The latest revision of the MacBook Pro is largely unchanged to the naked eye from the previous models.  The big changes are CPU and the addition of the Thuderbolt interface along with the shift to the AMD Radeon HD 6750M GPU and Intel’s integrated HD Graphics 3000.  Even the Thuderbolt interface is integrated into the mini display port further hiding the updated identity of the newest model.

The MacBook Pro (Thunderbolt) 13 incher ditches the Intel Core 2 processors in favor of the latest Intel i-series line-up with the Core i5 standard.  The i7 processor is an available option as well, but only in a dual core setup and your stuck with the integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics processor as well.  If a performance machine for hefty video or picture editing is in order the 15 or 17 inch model may be a better choice since they offer a quad-core i7 processor and the stand-alone, AMD graphics processor.

Design

There is no doubt that the MacBook Pro is beautiful to look at and with the returning backlit island keyboard that is second to none and working is just pleasurable.  The design is elegant and minimalistic with port opening precise and uncluttered with unnecessary seams like you’ll find on plastic-bodied laptops.  The MacBook Pro is machined from solid aluminum for a sleek look and feel and not only is it great looking, but it’s strong as well, with much less flex than a plastic body.  Visually, the only difference in the current Pro models over previous generations is the Thunderbolt icon next to the mini DisplayPort.

The main body is thin, rigid and sharp edged lending to the great looks, however those sharp edges can get uncomfortable to the hand palms and wrists.  The screen is protected by a thin layer of aluminum, with slightly rounded edges and the Apple logo centered.  I still prefer a standard mouse, but Apple’s trackpad works great and is almost as comfortable to use.  The large area and multitouch function makes for a mostly aggravation free experience.

Ports

The new 13″ MacBook Pro offers two USB ports, one MiniDisplayPort/Thunderbolt port, LAN port, a FireWire 800. While USB 3 and eSATA are faster, more Mac-targeted storage devices offer FireWire from the long standing Apple support and with the addition of Thunderbolt the potential for high speed transfer (and much more) exists . Also on board is a headphone jack, a SDXC-card slot and the trusty old DVD SuperDrive.  How about a Blu-Ray drive, Apple?  Last, but not least is a handy battery indicator allowing for quick visual inspection of the the battery level without having to boot.

Thuderbolt

Apple is really pumping Thunderbolt and rightfully so.  It’s a ground-breaking technology, tapping directly into PCI Express, offering a theoretical throughput speed of 10 Gbps. The port is also able to power peripherals such as external hard drives, carrying up to 10 watts of juice and also supports daisy-chaining up to six devices, meaning you could connect a large monitor along with multiple high-speed hard drives, but unfortunately there are just not many peripherals on the market, even now, after the technology has been present in the MacBook Pro for several months.

Since the technology is property of Intel, more and more manufactures will adopt it in the future as peripherals continue hit the market and as fiber optics gains ground in cabling.  For now, Apple has integrated it into the Mini DisplayPort and now has the Thunderbolt display which expands the available ports allowing peripheral connection to the external monitor for easy plug and play operation.  The good news is that all the existing monitors or adapters will continue to work too.  Thunderbolt’s versatility means that Thunderbolt-USB, Thunderbolt-Firewire, or even a Thunderbolt-Fiber channel is possible.

Performance

Under the 13-inch MacBook Pro’s hood is a 2.3GHz Core i5 CPU (a big improvement over the previous Core 2 Duo chip) and 4GB of RAM. A highly praised upgrade, every performance testing I’ve read puts the i5 powered MBPs way ahead of the old Core 2 models.  One the other hand, Intel’s integrated HD3000 GPU is a little less powerful than the NIVIDIA chip is replaced, but was a nesecary change in order to take advantage of the i5′s architecture (so I’ve read).  At any rate overall performace is up, but graphics performance is down a bit compared to the previous model, so video editors and gamers a 15 or 17 incher with  the dedicated GPU may be better suited to your needs, though the 13 inch MBP is very capable of light to medium duty work.

Memory (RAM) comes in the form of 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM in an array of 2, 2GB modules standard and can be upgraded to 2, 4GB modules to max out the notebook at 8GB.

Apple now includes a 5ooGB, 5400 RPM hard drive standard, which is a pretty generous amount of storage for a notebook, however, a 750GB version is available also.  All the MacBook Pros can be outfitted with solid state drives (SSD) as well, with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB flavors available.  Although the standard hard drive is acceptable with a good amount of storage and descent boot times, I wish Apple would at least make a 7,200 RPM hard drive the standard, but I suppose there may be a marketing ploy at work here to entice customers to upgrade to a SSD or a more expensive model.

Display

Glass frames the MacBook Pros 13.3-inch screen with no antiglare option available.  You’ll have to step up to the at least the 15 incher for that and that’ll cost you another $150 over the base.  I have wanted anti-glare more than once though and if you are going be working in well lit areas often at least consider it.  The display has excellent brightness, color, and contrast, and the screen’s viewing angles are generous, but oddly enough the 1,280 x 800 native pixel resolution is n0ticiable less than the 1,400 x 900 of the 13 inch MacBook Air when compared side by side.  An upgrade from the previous model would have been nice.

Audio

One of the concerns I had about the 13 inch model before I had it in my hands was the audio quality, but those concerns were quickly dismantled after hearing the crisp, smooth tones.  Music and vocals alike are sharp without distortion.  Bass is lacking, but that is to be expected from most any notebook speaker.

FaceTime and HD Camera

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro now supports 720p HD video calls, thanks to a new HD camera and a newly installed FaceTime app that first debuted on the iPhone 4, Add the two together and you’ve got a great video chat tool at your fingertips. In my tests, I’ve called someone who was using iPad 2 via FaceTime and noted sharp, life-like colors.  Image quality was also very good (in good light) with smooth motion on a good connection.  Defaulting to portrait mode, FaceTime can be flipped over to landscape view or full screen. Keep in mind that the app will only transmit a hi-def video stream if hardware on the other end can handle it and slow connections can make for a jittery conversation.

Battery Life

Battery life is quite impressive.  I can easily go 6+ hours with multiple browsers running, WIFI enabled, display at half brightness and on the entire time and the backlit keyboard set at the lowest illumination.  The FaceTime HD webcam is a power hog, so have an outlet handy if your going to be video chatting much.

Heat has long been an issue with the MacBook Pro and still remains to be at times, though the i-series processor help control the heat much better.  Things stay relatively cool with web surfing and light duty work, but watch videos or edit pictures and movies and heat will start building up.  Only a handful of times have I felt that my MBP was getting overly hot.

Software and Warranty

Apple offers (in my opinion) the best software bundle around. In addition to the Lion operating system, the MacBook Pro comes with the excellent iLife ’11 suite (iPhoto, iMovie, iWeb, and GarageBand), Front Row, Photo Booth, and the Time Machine backup software.  I wish there was a word processor pre-installed that offered a few more bells and whistles than TextEdit.  However, Pages costs a mere $19.99 from the App Store.  Which brings me to another point.  Thousands of apps are available at the App Store and are readily available at any time and are largely inexpensive.

Apple provides the same standard warranty coverage as previous MacBook Pros: one-year parts and labor and 90 days of toll-free, 24/7 phone support. The Apple Care Protection Plan, which includes three years each of parts-and-labor coverage and phone support, costs $249.

Conlusion

Apple once again has a winner in my book.  The 2011 MacBook Pro has been tuned up with the latest Intel i-series processors, FaceTime HD and Thunderbolt.  The battery life is impeccable and the glass TouchPad is the best on the market.  Video editors and gamers probably need to pass.  The 13 inch MacBook Air offers a better display, the advantages of flash memory standard and light weight, but if a speedy processor and on-the-go endurance is a must, the 13 MacBook Pro will not disappoint.  In short,  this is a great laptop choice for most people.

MacBook Pro 13 inch (Thunderbolt) at B&H Photo/Video

MacBook Pro 13 inch (Thunderbolt) at Amazon

It just demolished the prior model’s record pre-orders.  Rumors of a the iPhone 4S “only” packing 512MB RAM won’t open the door for Windows Phone to steal any market share.  Most consumers don’t even understand what that means.  The rest won’t care.

Apple today announced pre-orders of its iPhone 4S have topped one million in a single day, surpassing the previous single day pre-order record of 600,000 held by iPhone 4.

[Apple.com]

The new Line 6 Mobile In turns your iOS device into a virtual amp with 64 models of classic amps and effects.  Using the Mobile In with the free POD app, you can access over 10,000 presets, use the built-in tuner and jam with songs from your iTunes library.

It should be available this Fall for $79.99.  Check availability on Amazon.com.

J.D. Power, you’ve heard of them, right?  The folks who hand out trophies for auto makers?  Well, as it turns out, they also do research about customer satisfaction regarding mobile phones as well (lucky us).   The phone makers who got the top marks should not surprise you, but the companies near the bottom of the list might.  I’ve included both charts (if you’re a true geek, you will actually read them and stay awake), as well as the full text of J.D. Power’s Press Release.

Read the entire JD Power Report after the break:

In the charts below, representing data from the first 6 months of 2011,  that amongst smart phones, Apple ranks number 1, with HTC at number 2, both above the industry average.  Nokia, suddenly an industry underdog, brought up the rear in this category.  In the next chart, “Traditional” phones were defined as ‘feature’ or non-smart phones, and Samsung, LG, and Sanyo ranked very close, all above average.  During Volume 1 study (2nd half of 2010), Sanyo took first place in this segment.

Lastly, you’ll see the actual report, with links to both the Volumes 1 and 2 studies.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 8 September 2011 — Overall satisfaction with smartphones and traditional mobile phones is considerably higher for devices that are a specific size and weight and are equipped with the latest technological advancements, such as high-quality display screens, faster processing speeds, longer battery life and touch screen capabilities, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study^SM—Volume 2 and the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study^SM—Volume 2, both released today.

Satisfaction with both smartphones and traditional or “feature” phones is greatly impacted by the physical design and dimensions of the device. For example, satisfaction ratings are highest (8.1 on a 10-point scale) when the weight of the smartphone device does not exceed 5 ounces. In comparison, satisfaction averages 7.6 for smartphone devices that are 5 ounces or heavier. The same scenario holds true for feature phones, for which satisfaction with the weight of the device peaks between 3 and 3.5 ounces, and drops considerably when the feature phone weighs 4 ounces or more.

The width and thickness of the smartphone device are also critical in maximizing the ownership experience, and echo the old adage that “thinner is better” holds true. Overall physical design satisfaction is highest (852 on a 1,000-point scale) for smartphones that are less than 0.45 inches wide. In comparison, satisfaction averages 783 for smartphones that are 0.65 inches wide or wider.

Technology advancements also impact the experience of mobile devices in a number of areas. For example, touch screen-only smartphones generate considerably higher satisfaction with ease of operation (817 points) than either QWERTY-only based devices or those that have both a touch screen and QWERTY functions (785 and 782 points, respectively).

In addition, faster processing speeds, higher computer chip bit rates and the most advanced display screens (such as Super AMOLED vs. older LCD-based screens) all add significantly to user satisfaction. Even the number of megapixels found in camera-enabled mobile devices influences the ownership experience. In general, the higher the number of megapixels, the higher the satisfaction with camera picture and video quality. However, devices with at least 5 megapixels achieve nearly as high a satisfaction score as those smartphones with 8 megapixels or more.

“It’s not unexpected that satisfaction is higher for devices that have new technological advances or features,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D. Power and Associates. “Having the right combination of physical dimensions and operating functions and features for both smartphones and traditionally equipped devices is key to creating an exceptional ownership experience with each type of wireless device.”

These two studies have been updated to measure customer satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets and smartphones among owners who have used their current mobile phone for less than one year by examining several key factors. In order of importance, the key factors of overall satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets are: performance (31%); ease of operation (24%); physical design (24%); and features (20%). For smartphones, the key factors are: performance (35%); ease of operation (24%); features (21%); and physical design (20%).

For a sixth consecutive time, Apple ranks highest among manufacturers of smartphones in customer satisfaction. Apple achieves a score of 838 and performs well in all factors, particularly in ease of operation and features. HTC (801) follows Apple in the smartphone rankings.

Samsung ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction with traditional handsets with a score of 718. Samsung performs well in three factors: performance, ease of operation and features. LG (717), Sanyo (716) and Sony Ericsson (709) follow Samsung in the traditional handset rankings.

The studies also find the following key wireless handset usage patterns:

• The price of a traditional wireless mobile phone continues to decline and averages $71 in 2011, compared with an average of $81 at the beginning of 2009. The decline is primarily due to discounts provided by handset providers and wireless service carriers to incentivize sales. Currently, 42 percent of owners report having received a free mobile phone when subscribing to a wireless service.
• Mobile applications continue to enhance the smartphone user experience. More than two-thirds of owners say they have downloaded games and social networking applications to their device. More than one-half (54%) say they have downloaded entertainment-oriented applications, while 52 percent indicate having downloaded travel software, such as maps and weather applications. This indicates that smartphone owners are continuing to integrate their device usage into both their business and personal lives.
• Customers are highly satisfied with 4G-capable devices. Satisfaction among customers using 4G-capable phones averages 819, compared with 786 among customers using phones with 3G capability. Owners of 4G devices are also more active in terms of calling, texting and browsing the Internet.

 

The 2011 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study—Volume 2 and the 2011 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study—Volume 2 are based on experiences reported by 6,898 smartphone owners and 8,775 traditional mobile phone owners. Both studies were fielded between January and June 2011.

Smart phone and traditional mobile phone satisfaction study Volume 1

Smart phone and traditional mobile phone satisfaction study Volume 2

Team Coco has the latest…

While these rumors have been beating around for years, it seems that rumblings have grown louder lately.  Venture Beat reports that Apple is working on the tech to bring its own branded TV set to market next year.

This somewhat corroborates my earlier look at an Apple patent for the iTV – not the current Apple TV set-top box – that was submitted to the USPTO earlier this year in March and just published back in June.

[via Techno Buffalo]

In Jobs’ own words:

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve

The Apple board followed Jobs’ requests and recommendations, naming him as Chairman of the Board and appointing Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

While Apple’s stock is expected to take a bit of a nose dive on this news tomorrow, I suspect that upcoming iPhone and iPad announcements will bring a rebound as investor confidence builds on strong sales for Apple in the upcoming holiday season.

[via TechCrunch]

News Flash!  Skype for iPad is now in the App Store, and it’s free.  iPad users had to settle for the iphone/ipod version, which did not make good use of the larger iPad screen, and one could not instant message during a video call.  Of course, you will not be able to send video with the 1st generation iPad, due to the lack of front facing camera.  You can see the party that is calling you though.  But you knew that already.

Have you tried it?   How do you like it?

Read more about Skype for iPad.

It looks like your next-generation iPad or iPhone could come with a transparent display.  That is, if the tech disclosed in Apple’s latest patent application turns out to be magical enough.

In a USPTO patent application filed in January of this year, Apple discloses its plans to develop a handheld tablet or mobile phone “that includes a display screen having a viewing area with a transparent portion enabling a user to view objects behind the electronic device by looking at the display screen.”

The application goes on to describe the iPad/iPhone as having an opaque frame with the internal components hidden from view by the frame.  Or, so says Apple, it can hide the components behind a black masked portion of the device’s housing.

In another implementation of the device, Apple suggests that a give iPad or iPhone may have movable or even multiple sections of the transparent display.  For example, when you rotate your iPhone a different area of the screen will be accessible to physically see through.

Just think of where this will take augmented reality gaming.  And mobile photography – real optical viewfinder of sorts an a mobile phone…

• In one embodiment, actual objects may be seen through the display and graphical overlays may be viewed on the display. In other words, both real-world objects and graphical images rendered by electronic device may be visible on the display simultaneously.
• In one embodiment, the entire surface area of the display may be transparent, allowing a user to view real-world objects through the display.
• In another embodiment, one or more portions of the display may be transparent, while the remainder of the display may be opaque.
• In another embodiment, the electronic device may be virtually transparent. That is, the electronic device may include one or more cameras for capturing an image behind the electronic device as well as internal components that may be utilized to generate a graphical representation of the image behind the electronic device on the display.

Apple looks to be taking the augmented reality thing seriously.  In the transparent display application, Apple cites this patent application on using the iPad as an augmented reality device, which was filed concurrently with the transparent display patent application.

In the augmented reality patent application, Apple discusses the ability to use things like mapping software with live views of cities . . . .

We’re just getting warmed up with this iPad stuff folks.