Con isn’t always the opposite of Pro

Now that the glow of WWDC is fading, I was perusing the various editorials and punditry concerning the upcoming Apple products (both software and hardware). I honestly couldn’t say which new OS I’m looking forward to more; iOS 7 brings almost all of the changes I was hoping it would, where Mavericks (despite the silly name) will bring functionality I wasn’t even expecting from OSX. I’m fascinated by the new Mac Pro, but the closest I’ll likely come to it will be ogling it in the store (MacWorld pundits have estimated the diminutive powerhouse to start between $2,500 and $3,000). 

Then there was the other key hardware announcement- the new Haswell-powered MacBook Airs. Intel’s new power-sipping chip (boosted by engineering tricks from Cupertino) will offer an astounding 9 hours of battery life for the 11 inch model and 12 hours of life for the 13 inch. While the clock speeds of both will be slightly slower, the new Airs have actually been benchmarked as superior to their predecessors. Of all the Apple laptop varieties the Airs have seemed to have grabbed the most affection; they are far sleeker and more portable than the rest of the standard Pro lineup and far less expensive than the Retina models. While they’ve always been touted as the choice for portability, the Airs in truth don’t trade weight and portability for power and functionality; they are easily able to handle most daily tasks (the previous models have even been shown to handle recent FPS games respectably, although I wouldn’t recommend making one your primary gaming machine). So what is the market niche of the Air?

Think back for a moment to the post Powerbook age. The MacBook Pro wasn’t the sole successor to the Powerbook, it was the more powerful sibling to the polycarbonate MacBook. The Pro allegedly was the upper tier lineup, with its sleek unibody aluminum chassis, where the MacBook was the laptop for the rest of us- not a powerhouse, but still well able to handle most daily tasks without breaking a sweat. The polycarbonate case made the MacBook less expensive, but was still artistically designed when compared to the run of the mill competing laptops. The product lineup was designed to appeal to a broad range of consumers, from students to professionals.

Fast forward to today: Apple’s lineup can be described completely without even mentioning the MacBook name. The Air, Pro, and Retina still offer a wide spectrum of products to appeal to consumers, but they have done so a bit stealthily. The Air, as mentioned earlier, was marketed on its physical build of ultimate thinness and lightness, but it’s now become the true heir to the MacBook. The Air is the most affordable of Apple’s laptops- the new 11 inch model starts at just under $1,000- a similar price target of the original polycarbonate MacBook. It’s physical form adds additional value and marketability, but it’s aimed squarely at those that aren’t ready or able to spend the approximately $1,500 for an entry-level Retina (which offers a very thin and light form as well as it’s fantastic display). It is the least-powerful of the current MacBook lineup (although far from lacking in power), and isn’t marketed to any specific task, just on its physical form. The Air is the primary choice for those that want to upgrade to an Apple laptop for the first time, just as the polycarbonate MacBook was.

Best of all, the redesigned Air isn’t really a completely new product. It already has a vibrant accessory market to meet just about any need, from the obvious to the brilliant. Just as with the iPhone, I wouldn’t recommend anyone take chances with their device when out and about; a case is a must. While the smaller version hasn’t been around as long, there are plenty of 11 inch MacBook Air cases that fit all generations perfectly, from the original model to the recently released Haswell-powered model. The original Air was released in the 13 inch form factor, and has a correspondingly wider array of cases.

Then there’s the functional accessories, like Apple’s own ethernet to Thunderbolt adaptor (the Air has more ports than the original, but still doesn’t have a plethora). Feel like going retro and watching a DVD? You’ll need an external optical drive, and Apple’s own Superdrive matches the aesthetic design of the Air perfectly. Want to truly go portable and have network connectivity anywhere? You’ve got options; from tethering to your iPhone to a cellular-connected wifi hotspot. For the multitaskers you can even use the Air as a desktop replacement, pairing it to Apple’s Thunderbolt display and a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, or using any of a number of innovative docking solutions to pair it with just about any combination of inputs and outputs.

So the opposite of Pro isn’t always con; in this instance it’s Air. Apple’s thinnest laptop is a perfect choice not only for those of you that need portability, it’s the go to choice for those that have a budget in mind. Don’t forget that those that want to shave off even more you have options  aplenty, from visiting Apple’s refurbished outlet online (I’ve purchased several products this way and have been very happy) or opting for a new but previous model, to picking up a used Air from one of many reputable outlets. The Air is a surprisingly durable laptop, and there are many people like me that crave the newest and shiniest and will part with their older laptop while it still has years of productivity left to offer. Whatever your need and budget, it’s a good time to be an Apple fan.

Related articles

• MacBook Air refresh looks set for WWDC, potentially with faster Wi-Fi (9to5mac.com)
• New MacBook Airs offer blistering SSD speeds thanks to direct PCIe connections (9to5mac.com)
• Apple’s Mid-2013 MacBook Air Gets Teardown Treatment (tomshardware.com)

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Survey: Apple’s Map issues not affecting iPhone demand

Despite the well-documented issues Apple has had with their new Maps app, a recent post from Macworld has shown that it hasn’t impacted consumer impressions of the latest generation of the iPhone.

Possibly the most telling figure has been the sales; the iPhone sold out in record time (I ordered mine within a handful of hours of availability, but was placed in a two week waiting queue). While sales are an important barometer, they aren’t the only reliable one. Demand hasn’t flagged after the initial release, despite the lack of compatibility with existing accessories or limited availability of Apple’s proprietary adaptor to convert the traditional 30 pin connector to the new Lightning input.

The survey was compared to one done on prior versions of the iPhone, and the faults of the new Maps was judged as a “very big problem” by fewer respondents (3%) than the hot issue of the 4- Antennagate (7%). Consumers actually had higher stated levels of those that said they were likely to and highly likely to purchase the latest handset.

My own impressions of the iPhone 5 are still developing, but have been very positive to date. Even my experiences with the Maps app have been positive; the turn by turn navigation has been more than welcome, and the quality of the map data in my hometown has been equal to that of Google’s offering. While I am disappointed in the loss of compatibility with my car’s stereo and various other accessories, I do think this is yet another step towards a less than obvious strategic move by Apple. More on this idea to come…

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The perils of abandoning the status quo

Now that a select few have gotten their hands on the iPhone 5 reviews and opinions are starting to trickle in. Many are positive, but more than a few observations aren’t so enthusiastic. Unlike the transition from the 4 to the 4S, the release of the iPhone 5 has brought more than a few significant changes.

To start with, iOS 6 marks the end of the contract between Apple and Google that gave us integrated Google Maps. Apple had been quietly purchasing mapping companies and procuring data in order to have their own product when the contract ended. The wealth of data providing such a service to users offers alone made the effort worthwhile to Apple, but having an ongoing feud with the search giant wasn’t going to inspire Apple to extend the arrangement. Apple’s new Maps App has been the source of much discontent, inspiring one former Apple enthusiast at TUAW to write of his choice to cancel his iPhone 5 order so he could switch to a Samsung handset. As an infrequent user of the Maps App (and a resident of the US, where apparently the new Maps fares best) I haven’t had an issue so far. The same can’t be said for the Google-powered original Maps; twice on long road trips it led me astray, once directing me miles away to the middle of an orange orchard instead of the South Florida hotel I was traveling to.

As more than one pundit has pointed out, Google has a significant head start in the mapping business, and considerably better infrastructure. While Apple followed Google’s footsteps in procuring existing companies for the foundation of their Maps feature, they have yet to adopt Google’s trump card- relying on primary research in the form of the ubiquitous Google Maps vehicles that actually travel the roads, rather than purchased or licensed databases. I expect Apple’s Maps to improve exponentially; the question is if users will see improvement soon enough to keep them from switching to other third party solutions (including going back to Google’s Maps).

Another two-edged sword of a feature has been the new Lightning connector. The need for more space inside the new iPhone’s chassis necessitated adopting a smaller connector, and Lightning’s reversible input means no more swapping the cable around like a USB cord to get it to match the port properly. The new cable has it’s share of critics, however; many have pointed out that overnight Apple has made an entire industry of accessories that relied on the iPod-era connector obsolete (or at the very least in need of an adaptor that for the immediate future only Apple will sell, as they haven’t licensed third parties to make it yet).

To complicate matters, the new Lightning connector won’t work with some accessories regardless of adaptor. The new cable won’t support video out or iPod mode, the protocol used by some accessories (like factory installed car stereos) to mirror your iPhone’s track information. The official Lightning to traditional 32 pin adaptor provides a digital-to-analog converter allowing the iPhone 5′s digital audio out to still work with traditional accessories in some way, but there’s no guarantee that less expensive third party adaptors will do so as well.

There are also concerns about stress on the Lightning port, as many accessories with a dock rely on the traditional 32 pin input’s broad metal head to provide stability as your iOS device sits in the cradle. Some, like the newly-minted Une Bobine use the 32 pin as its sole means of holding the iPhone.

It’s not all doom, as MacWorld has posted that Apple will be releasing HDMI and VGA adaptors for the Lightning port in the coming months. I’d wager that a plethora of cables and adaptors will pop up very soon, spurred on by the iPhone 5′s record setting sales figures so far.

It’s not easy moving beyond the tried and true, but Apple has demonstrated more than once that they will happily bury existing tech, sometimes before it truly becomes necessary (ex: Apple’s stance on optical drives in their latest Macs). My experiences with Google Maps has kept me from despairing over the switch to Apple Maps. None of the other issues brought up to date are deal breakers for me; the iPhone 5 offers far too much value for any of the problems pundits have discussed to be a factor, especially when the rapidly changing nature of gadgetry is taken into account.

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Functioning Apple 1 Sells for $374.5k

Having a hard time accepting the masses of Apple fanatics that have posted over two thousand dollars for the new Retina Display MacBook Pro? Brace yourselves, because news from a recent MacWorld article makes that seem paltry. 

A fully functional 36 year old Apple 1 personal computer (one of six known working models in the world) sold at Sotheby’s of New York for the whopping total of $374,500. The final auction price was nearly double what the computer was expected to fetch, and topped the 2010 record of $213,000 paid for an Apple 1. The record setter included its original cassette tape interface and rare manuals.

The new proud owner wasn’t revealed, and the final price pales in comparison to the $1.6 million paid for the original contract that marked Apple’s founding. Whoever the purchaser is, I sincerely hope they treasure their bit of plastic-encased history.

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iOS and the Stylus

I’ve been onboard the iOS bandwagon from the beginning- I owned both a first generation iPhone and iPad (and had an iPod Touch for a short while before realizing that an iPod Classic suited my needs much better). I tend to agree with Steve Jobs‘ assessment of the best form of interface- the finger. Using a touchscreen for most daily tasks on my iOS devices has been intuitive and made the devices more transparent, allowing me to do what I want to rather than focusing on using the device to accomplish tasks. Apple’s assessment of the human hand as the best interface tool has been the correct one, supported by Mr. Jobs’ famous quote that “…if you see a stylus [the creators of competing devices] blew it.”

Although I’d wager the vast majority of iOS device users use their devices as Apple intended, there is a burgeoning market of capacitive screen compatible styluses. What gives- was Steve wrong after all?

In short, not really. While daily use of iOS devices is still easiest using the stylus attached to your hand, there are some tasks that lend better to a stylus. There are numerous great reviews on the variety of touch input accessories out there: Cult of Mac, TUAW, Engadget, Laughing Squid, and MacWorld all have some great reviews and insight (particularly the MacWorld post). There are far too many out there for me to even consider adding to the reviews; I’d rather discuss the why instead of the what.

The MacWorld article referenced above discusses one of the best stylus uses for iOS devices- artwork. There are numerous art-centric apps in the iTunes App Store, and while a finger will do I agree that whether you’re drawing or ‘painting’, a stylus makes the experience better. Even with games like Draw Something I do far better with a stylus than a fingertip. While not a name-brand version I do have a capacitive brush stylus, and the experience has been a very positive one. The brush provides a different sort of tactile feedback that prevents me from pressing too hard and encountering some screen friction like I have experienced with a traditional stylus. Serious iOS artists might even consider the Hand Glider; a partial glove that prevents your palm and side of your hand from interacting with your device’s screen while you draw or paint.

Another task I’ve preferred using a stylus for is handwriting. There are some very good note taking apps, and even if you have a Bluetooth keyboard sometimes you just want to jot down something. Again, my brain seems to be hardwired to prefer the traditional feel of using a writing utensil rather than sketching out letters with a finger.

For those of you that like to use your iPad in the kitchen a stylus can be an unexpected must-have. I tend to get my hands involved more often than not when cooking, and when you need to interact with your iPad it’s a great deal easier to grab a stylus than wash and dry your hands (and live with screen smudges that happen anyway). I love having my iPad in the kitchen when cooking; whether it’s for instruction via one of the numerous recipe apps I’ve collected, entertainment from some of the previously reviewed streaming video options, or communication via FaceTime, IM, or iMessage; when you need to interact it’s more than handy to have an extra always-clean digit to touch your device’s screen with. If you’re taking this route make sure to get a stylus that can handle regular washing.

These are just a few ideas on stylus use. The form of the stylus often dictates what function it would be best at. While not a required part of iOS life, I’m glad I’ve integrated a stylus or two into my repertoire of accessories.

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Set Parental Controls on your Mac

This handy tip for those of you that need to protect younger members of your household from the darker corners of the web comes to us courtesy of Macworld.

As any web-savvy person knows, the internet isn’t the most family-friendly place at times. Even a simple Google search can turn up plenty of sites you’d probably not have a child venture to. While many have turned to third party software like NetNanny or Cybersitter, Mac users have a native option.

The video leads you through the creation of a user account with parental controls and illustrates what those controls entail. The controls are fairly powerful and thorough, covering a surprisingly broad range of topics.

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In Praise of the Macalope

I pour over a lot of blogs in my weekly information feast. Some are strictly personal entertainment (Cute Overload, Neatorama, Superpunch), some have taken the place of my once staggering comic book appetite (Order of the Stick, Dr. McNinja, Dinosaur Comics, Girl Genius, and an enthusiastic endorsement for Erfworld), some to keep me up to date on current tech news (Engadget and the like), and many more to stay abreast of the rapidly changing Apple empire (Mac Rumors, OSX Daily, TUAW, MacWorld).

Of the Apple-centered ones, MacWorld is often the first I check when I fire up MobileRSS on my iPad. Not for the depth and breadth of coverage (the reasons I subscribed to their feed initially) but to check for the latest update from my favorite pundit; the Macalope. Always clever, unfailingly amusing- the Macalope’s posts are easily the best read of my morning subscriptions. Bear in mind, as his name would suggest he’s as Apple-centric as one can be, even if a good portion of your cranium were a Mac. While some might label him as an Apple apologist, I just can’t fit his biting wit under that label. He’s more Judge Judy than fanboy, deftly deflating Apple bashers and pointing out absurdities. If you haven’t checked him out before, give him a read.

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New iPad Customer Satisfaction Ranked 98%

Courtesy of MacRumors: a poll by ChangeWave Research reveals that the new iPad has earned an impressive 98% (82% completely satisfied, 16% somewhat satisfied) satisfaction rate with users; an increase over the prior iPad 2′s 95% (74%

completely satisfied, 23% somewhat satisfied). The article fleshes out the key points that purchasers like about the new iPad, such as the Retina Display, long battery life, and the option of LTE connectivity. Dislikes focused on cost; both of the iPad and of the data plans offered by cellular companies. The recent media furor over the alleged heat issues weren’t on the minds of those polled, seeming to reinforce the findings of MacWorld that the new iPad’s operating temperature was similar to competing Android tablets and never an issue with testers.

My experience parallels the findings of the poll. While the joy of unboxing a new toy was tempered by the fact that the new iPad is visually indistinguishable from the iPad 2 (although the difference in weight is somewhat noticeable), the Retina Display is a definite wow factor. App updates are coming in flurries as developers scramble to take advantage of the higher resolution (such as the Facebook iPad update released today). In daily use I do notice a slight improvement in performance (GIF images load faster and play smoother, for instance) but it’s not the eye-opening betterment that the new pixel-dense screen provides. Other improvements like the better rear-facing camera are nice, but not central to my daily use. If you’re a new iPad owner how do you feel about Apple’s latest iOS offering? If you’ve held off on upgrading what have your reasons been? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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