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Leaked iPad Mini Images Hint at Retina Display
After only four months on the market, the iPad mini is a certified hit with consumers. But perhaps the only knock against the device has been related to its display, which falls slightly behind similarly sized tablets such as the Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD. However, if new leaked images are any clue, Apple may be about to remedy that issue in the device's next update.
In a post on China's WeiPhone, which was picked up by mobile device site Mobilespie, one forum member uploaded a set of photos showing off what looks to be an updated back casing for the iPad mini. Sporting an odd, possibly pre-production blue Apple logo, the case has all the design elements associated with the current iPad mini, however, upon closer inspection of the images, the back casing appears to be slightly thicker than the current version.
A thicker housing would support the notion, rumored almost since the launch of the first iPad mini, that Apple would have to slightly increase the device's thickness in order to support a higher-resolution Retina display. Of course, considering the high volume of bootleg gadgets produced in China, any images originating from the region are just as likely to be counterfeit knockoffs. Nevertheless, after perusing the various close-up angles of the new back casing, the authentic appearance of the hardware is difficult to dismiss.
MacBook Pro With Retina Display Gets Price Drop, Processor Boost
Apple this morning quietly dropped the price on its lineup of MacBook Pros with Retina display, and gave them a speed boost.
The 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro now starts at $1,499 rather than $1,699, while the 15-inch starts at $2,199.
The laptops also got a processor update. The $1,699 version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now boasts a 2.6-GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 and 256GB of flash, whereas its cheaper counterpart still runs a 2.5-GHz chip and has 128GB of flash.
The $2,199 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now features a faster 2.4-GHz, quad-core processor instead of 2.3 GHz, as well as 8GB of memory. At $2,799, the most expensive MacBook Pro with Retina includes a 2.7-GHz chip (up from 2.6 GHz) and 16GB of memory.
Apple today also announced that the 13-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of flash has a new lower price of $1,399.
All of the updated Macs are now on sale, Apple said.
Firefox 18 Beta Promises Speed Boost, Retina Support
Mozilla today released a beta version of Firefox 18 that promises speed improvements, support for Retina display screens, and more.
The updated browser now supports Apple's Retina display for Mac users "to make Firefox even sharper when watching movies, playing games and browsing the Web," Mozilla said in a blog post.
Apple's Retina display debuted on the iPhone 4S, but also now extends to the iPhone 5 , the third- and fourth-generation iPads, and the Retina-enhanced, 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros.
Firefox 18 Beta will also allow users to disable insecure content on encrypted websites "to maintain the privacy of your communication with the website," Mozilla said. With Firefox 14, released in July, Mozilla started automatically encrypting searches conducted via Google's search engine in the browser's location bar, search box, or the right-click menu.
For those with touch-supported devices, Firefox 18 beta joins Internet Explorer 10 in adding support for W3C touch events. That means that websites that respond to touch, tracking your movements as you glide your finger across the screen, for example, will work in Firefox 18.
Retina Display on the iPad Mini: What It Would Take
If you think that Apple's following a predictable pattern with its iPad releases, you might be correct… so long as you've taken the iPad Mini off the list.
Here's what we mean: The launch of the first-generation iPad Mini didn't include a "Retina Display" among the tablet's key features, leading some to speculate that Apple's sure to wow fans (and frustrate first-gen purchasers) with a souped-up display in the iPad Mini's second iteration.
However, AnandTech's Anand Lal Shimpi and Vivek Gowri recently posted an analysis that pours a little water on these hopes. In the article, they argue that Apple has to make one of three fundamental changes to the iPad Mini in order for one's dreams of a Retina Display to become a reality: Double the current horizontal and vertical resolution of the iPad Mini, pick a new resolution that allows Apple to achieve a Retina Display while still maintaining the iPad Mini's 4:3 aspect ratio, or pick a brand-new resolution and aspect ratio entirely.
While the first option might seem the most likely scenario given Apple's tendency to just quadruple the pixel count of its tablets in order to achieve the characteristics of its Retina Display, the reality – according to Shimpi and Gowri – is that doing so on the iPad Mini would require Apple to significantly bump up the device's battery and processor. That calls for a beefier, heavier, and costlier tablet, "which would make it distinctly un-mini," they write.
13-Inch Apple MacBook Pros Compared: Is Retina Display Worth It?
We expected a lot of things from Apple's event today, but we didn't expect everything. There may have been a lot of stuff announced, but what really got us salivating was the new MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina display.
Like the 15-inch Retina-equipped model announced during the summer, the new Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (Retina display) does more than just ramp up the resolution on the previous Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (Mid 2012) —instead, the whole system gets an overhaul, and the result is a leaner, more refined MacBook Pro.
For those looking into buying an Apple laptop, the decision just got a lot harder. Apple's marketing materials will gush all over this new laptop, and it is hands down the laptop to get, if you need what it offers. There is, however, the downside of price and that's where most buyers will make their decision. Before we talk price, however, let's take a look at what each laptop offers, and what sets one apart from the other.
Apple Unveils 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Retina Display
Apple today unveiled a 13-inch version of the MacBook Pro with Retina display.
Apple also unveiled a new Mac mini and the next-generation of iMac, and a storage option known as Fusion Drive.
"In typical Apple fashion, we're going to take our best product" and make it better, said Apple's Phil Schiller.
The display on the 13-inch MacBook Pro comes in at 2,560-by-1,600 pixels, making it Apple's second best display. Apple promised rich color and deep blacks and 75 percent reduced reflection.
The new MacBook starts shipping today at $1,699 for the 2.5-GHz, dual-core i5 version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash. Buyers can also select a dual-core i7 Ivy Bridge processor.
The updated Mac is only 0.75 inches thin, which Schiller said is 20 percent thinner than its predecessor. It weighs in at 3.5 pounds, making it the lightest MacBook Pro ever.
It comes pre-loaded with Mac OS X Mountain Lion and supports 802.11 Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth 4.0. Apple promised up to seven hours of battery life.
13-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro Coming Alongside iPad Mini?
Rumor has it the iPad mini isn't the only thing Apple has up its sleeve for later this month.
Cupertino is planning to debut a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display alongside the iPad mini, according to 9to5Mac, which cited a "consistently reliable source at a high-profile U.S. retailer." Apple has not yet confirmed plans to launch the iPad mini, but the latest rumor suggests the company is planning to unveil the scaled-down tablet at a press event on Tuesday, Oct. 23.
While the iPad mini will likely be the star of the show, the smaller MacBook Pro with boosted Retina display will reportedly be made available in two configurations, with different processors and storage space. The laptop will sport the same thinner, lighter body as the larger, 15.4-inch model released in June, 9to5Mac reported, but will be priced higher than the current non-Retina display model.
The new information follows a report last month from Digitimes that said Apple suppliers are shipping a 13-inch version of the MacBook Pro with Retina display.
Apple unveiled the 15.4-inch version of its MacBook Pro with Retina display at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June. The screen comes in at 2,880-by-1,800 and 220ppi, which Apple's Phil Schiller said makes it the world's highest-resolution notebook. It starts at $2,199.
Report: Apple’s Fall Lineup Includes 13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro
A slew of new Apple products may be on their way to retailers this fall, if KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's forecasts are correct.
According to MacRumors, Kuo predicted in a note to investors that a new iPod touch and iPod nano, a tweaked iPad and new iPad Mini, as well as a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro and two updated iMacs will hit shelves around the upcoming iPhone 5 release.
Kuo, who did not respond to PCMag's request for comment, predicted the release a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro this fall.
"We think consumers who initially planned to purchase the 13" MacBook Pro and Air will turn to the 13" Retina MacBook Pro instead because it has an attractive panel, its price is similar to MacBook Pro and it has a better balance between power consumption and form factor," Kuo wrote, according to MacRumors.
The laptop's shipments won't be able to satisfy demand, though, because of panel and assembly yield rate issues. Instead, consumers may turn to other iOS products, leaving MacBook sales a little limp by the end of the year.
The chances, Kuo said, of a new iMac debuting in September are slim, but a new model or two may be rolled out later in the month, or in October.
Rumor: Retina Display iMac Coming in October
Apple's Retina display first landed on the iPhone, followed by the iPad and the new MacBook Pro. Next up, however, could be Apple's iMac, according to a new report.
DigiTimes, citing "upstream supply chain sources," reported that a revamped version of Cupertino's popular all-in-one desktop will enter production this month in preparation for an official launch "possibly around October." The Taiwanese newspaper, which has a spotty record with tech rumors, said Apple is looking to expand its Retina display across all product lines, meaning the new iMac "will have a high chance" of getting one.
The new rumor, however, conflicts with a report from The New York Times last month that cited an Apple executive who said that redesigned Mac desktop models are on tap, but likely won't arrive until next year. Apple didn't mention anything about the iMac or MacPro at its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote in June - opting to instead quietly roll out a small update without any fanfare - causing some to speculate that Cupertino's desktops were headed for the grave. Tim Cook, however, later reportedly penned an email in which he assured a worried customer that there was still some life in the Mac Pro.
DigiTimes, meanwhile, said Apple is aiming to put a Retina display in all its products to beat out competitors on screen resolution. Retina displays are a very expensive component, so most other PC vendors probably won't launch a product with the higher-resolution panel anytime soon, the newspaper pointed out.
While Apple could very likely give its iMac a Retina display, the latest rumor should be taken with a grain of salt. Time columnist Harry McCracken recently fact-checked 25 of Digitimes' tech stories. "By my count, 16 of these 25 stories turned out to be mostly or completely off-base. Five are largely or entirely correct. And four involve predictions that might yet come true," McCracken said.
MacBook Pro Retina Display Users Report Image Retention Problem
Two weeks after Apple unveiled its MacBook Pro with Retina display, early adopters are reporting image resistance issues with the new laptop.
The problem involves the outline of an image that remains on screen after the program has been closed. It is primarily noticeable on light-colored backgrounds, and remains on the screen for about five minutes before fading, according to Apple Insider, which posted video of the glitch (below).
"I first noticed this after my MBP [Retina] had gone to sleep, but: when returning to the login screen (since I have it set to require a password whenever the computer is idle long enough) I noticed what appeared to a very faint ghosting primarily noticeable on darker backgrounds," a user known as mittsense wrote on the Apple forums earlier this month.
Another user responded that he took his new MacBook Pro to Apple's Genius Bar, where an employee ordered him a new MacBook "due to the burn-in."
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Shortly after Apple unveiled its new MacBook Pro, ship dates slipped to 2-4 weeks. The Retina display model is currently listed as in stock.
The company's 14-day return policy could come in handy for some new MacBook Pro buyers, who can simply ship the machine back to Apple or bring it to any U.S. Apple Store for a full refund. Also, the one-year limited warranty comes with 90 days of complimentary phone technical support.
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