Apple Store down globally, let the speculation begin (updated)

Sometimes it’s nothing, but often, especially when it’s a Tuesday and we’re sitting on a stack of overdue rumors, an Apple Store outage is a tell that new products are due. Especially when the store goes down on a global basis as it has just now. So take a moment to reflect on the latest rumors and chime in with your predictions in the comments. Our guess? Refreshed MacBook Pros… or iPonies, either or. Then check back at 08:30 ET (as is the norm) to see who got it right.

Update: Aperture 3 announced. Store’s back up. Even after the NVIDIA Optimus announcement we’re still left waiting for those ellusive Core i5 and Core i7 MacBook Pros.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Apple Store down globally, let the speculation begin (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on February 9, 2010 at 6:58 am by Thomas Ricker · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Current MacBook Pro SKU given mark of death in Best Buy database?

We’ll admit to not being leading the field of study in Best Buy-ology, but here comes a new quiz for us care of a tipster who sent TUAW a screenshot of the inventory screen that shows what looks to be the current MacBook Pro SKU with status: deleted. What that means is no new orders can be made for that unit, at least for that particular store. Sign of impending MBP refresh? Intel certainly had us riled up last month with that Core i5-infused flier, but we won’t get fooled again. Don’t hold your breath for this one, but if more telltale signs start popping up, we’ll be sure let ya know.

Update: Giving credit where due; the image originates from the MacRumors forums.

[Thanks, Jose R]

Current MacBook Pro SKU given mark of death in Best Buy database? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on February 8, 2010 at 6:02 pm by Ross Miller · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Is a Core i7-based MacBook Pro strutting its specs in the wild?

For your viewing pleasure, we present the latest Apple rumor doing the rounds this Saturday afternoon — namely, GeekBench results for a “new” Core i7 MacBook Pro. According to the results, what you’re looking at above are the numbers for the MacBook Pro 6,1, sporting a nastified Intel Core i7 (dual core, not quad) 620M (Arrandale) percolating along at 2.66GHz. Other curious points here are the 4.8GHz FSB, which sounds a little screwy to us, and a final GeekBench score of 5260, which makes current MBPs clocked at the same speed look like your grandfather with a walker (those ranges hover around 3700-4000 on average). The laptop in question is also allegedly running a fresh version of Snow Leopard (build 10C3067 of 10.6.2), which certainly makes sense if someone is out there benching a new Apple product, though it’s not a number we can verify. Still, if you were using a new Apple product, would you be dumb enough to publicly share this info? Probably not, which of course raises the question that this might just be a hackintosh or some other clever spoof (even if we did see a suggestion of new MBPs on the way recently). In the meantime, you can dream of having your pants burnt off by the above monster, and we’ll let you know if this thing starts looking a little more real.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Is a Core i7-based MacBook Pro strutting its specs in the wild? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Illusion Labs shows off multitouch ‘Touchgrind’ gaming demo on a MacBook

One of our favorite iPhone games is Touchgrind. Sure, we’re terrible at it, but at least we feel like we’re accomplishing something “totally street” and “badass” with the multitouch input that the iPhone allows. Well, Illusion Labs is looking at bringing some of that magic to the Mac. They’ve got a demo up of the game running in a jumbo manner on a multi-finger-friendly MacBook. It looks pretty much like a straight port at this point, but hopefully the added horsepower and screen size of the Mac can make this into something a bit more magical — and maybe even trick us into thinking we’re decent fingerboardists, if only for a moment. Right now this is just a tech demo, and there are no firm plans of a release. From the noodlings of Illusion Labs’ Twitter account, it looks like they also wouldn’t mind porting it to an “iSlate” if the opportunity presented itself. Hear that, Cupertino? You might be able to get someone to build an app for this mythical device! Big sigh of relief, we’re sure. Video is after the break.

Continue reading Illusion Labs shows off multitouch ‘Touchgrind’ gaming demo on a MacBook

Illusion Labs shows off multitouch ‘Touchgrind’ gaming demo on a MacBook originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on January 22, 2010 at 2:40 pm by Paul Miller · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Steve Ballmer’s shocking autograph of MacBook Pro caught on video

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/hardware/Steve_Ballmer_autographs_a_MacBook_Pro_on_VIDEO’;
It’s likely that if you were told to describe what you think would happen if someone asked Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to autograph a MacBook Pro, it would go something like this:

Steve would fly into a blind fury, grabbing the laptop and smashing it against a far wall with the force of ten men, laughing as the computer shattered and sparked out of existence. He would then leap towards the young man who’d made the request and pin him to the floor, pulling out a Bowie knife while whispering that he would like to “Gut [him] like the pathetic animal he is.” Next Ballmer would dash out of the room only to return with a canister of gasoline, some hairspray, and one of those long lighters, all while shouting that he would “Show the world what [he's] really made of.” Ballmer would escape from this scene of utter destruction in a helicopter, but not before circling the college campus (or wherever this took place) and dumping toxic waste on hundreds of students.

But, no. He pretty much just signs the laptop. See it all happen after the break.

Continue reading Steve Ballmer’s shocking autograph of MacBook Pro caught on video

Steve Ballmer’s shocking autograph of MacBook Pro caught on video originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on January 22, 2010 at 8:24 am by Joshua Topolsky · Permalink · Comments Closed
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MacBook Pro with Intel Core i5 processor revealed via Intel promo flier? (update: prize now Envy 15 instead)

Far be it for us to argue with order of operations, but an apparent Intel Retail Edge Program promotional email has revealed a contest where those who pass this month’s training can win one of two MacBook Pros with Intel Core i5 processors inside. Only catch is, that’s a model that doesn’t yet exist — whoops! Don’t know how long the company expects those winners to wait, but we’ve gone ahead and kept our calendars clear for the end of the month, just in case Apple feels the urge to send out any last-minute press conference invites.

Update: We’ve been sent a new flier from Intel that “corrects” the contest. The prize is now one of two Envy 15s with Core i5. Sure, we’ve joked about the physical similarities before, but did someone really mix the two up that egregiously? Only time will tell. Correction email reprinted after the break.

[Thanks, Mike!]

Continue reading MacBook Pro with Intel Core i5 processor revealed via Intel promo flier? (update: prize now Envy 15 instead)

MacBook Pro with Intel Core i5 processor revealed via Intel promo flier? (update: prize now Envy 15 instead) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inklet trackpad tablet app for MacBook is Wacom’s worst nightmare

Doodle much? Not us — we just keep things in our heads which is probably for the best, but Ten One Design — maker of Pogo Stylus and Pogo Sketch — has just come up with a new solution for MacBook artists. The Inklet app essentially converts your multitouch trackpad into a drawing tablet by adding pressure sensitivity when using with a Pogo Sketch, as well as “advanced palm rejection” which lets you rest your hand while drawing or writing. As you can see in one of the videos after the break, you can also quickly adjust your canvas area at your convenience. $24.95 and it’s yours, Picasso.

Continue reading Inklet trackpad tablet app for MacBook is Wacom’s worst nightmare

Inklet trackpad tablet app for MacBook is Wacom’s worst nightmare originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia asks ITC to ban iPhone, iPod, and MacBook imports, files another lawsuit against Apple

Looks like Nokia is going all-out in its patent fight with Apple: in addition to the lawsuit it’s filed over GSM standards and last week’s International Trade Commission complaint, Espoo just filed a second complaint with the federal court, alleging that Apple’s infringing several “implementation patents” that cover everything from camera sensors to touchscreens. That’s three fronts in the same war, if you’re counting — the original regarding GSM patents, and these two latest over specific device technologies. The biggest bombshell so far is the ITC complaint, in which Nokia’s asking the commission to ban imports of basically every Apple mobile product from the MacBook to the iPhone for infringing its device patents — a strategy we’ve seen in other high-profile cases. Since the ITC has the ability to move quite quickly, we’d expect that case to be the primary battleground for the moment — but remember that Apple has plenty of its own incredibly broad patents of its own to fight back with here, so don’t expect a quick resolution. Looks like 2010 is going to be awfully good for these attorneys, don’t you think?

[Thanks, Matt]

Nokia asks ITC to ban iPhone, iPod, and MacBook imports, files another lawsuit against Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twelve South’s BassJump subwoofer improves your MacBook experience via USB, not parachute

Twelve South's BassJump subwoofer improves your MacBook experience via USB, not parachute

The speakers on the MacBook line are generally quite good — for a laptop. Rock your world they won’t, but Twelve South’s BassJump might just add that low-frequency kick your unibody workhorse has been missing. The solitary speaker connects via USB and, through an analog-styled tuning app, augments the built-in speakers of the laptop with much-needed bass. If the styling didn’t clue you in this is only for MacBooks and, at $80, seems to come at quite a premium over your average set of portable speakers. It’s certainly nicer looking.

Twelve South’s BassJump subwoofer improves your MacBook experience via USB, not parachute originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MacBook Pro battery flies off the handle, busts wide open

Here’s the thing: that horrifically swollen, completely destroyed battery you’re peering at above isn’t as rare a sight as it should be. If you’ll recall, we’ve personally covered at least four MacBook Pro battery explosions, and we’ve also seen a similar amount of volatility over on the PC side. The story behind this one is as follows: a MBP owner was using his machine on a desk (thankfully), when suddenly an odd noise began to increase in volume; following that, the entire machine “jumped up” slightly and turned off, and this battery is to blame. Oh, and if this all-too-commonplace occurrence happens to you next, let’s hope you aren’t actually using your laptop on your, um, lap.

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MacBook Pro battery flies off the handle, busts wide open originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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