MacBook Pro review (early 2011)

Apple might say we're in the post-PC era, but hey -- turns out they still make Macs in Cupertino, and the new MacBook Pro is actually one of the more aggressive refreshes in the machine's history. Not only has it been less than a year since the last MacBook Pro spec bump, but our 15-inch review unit is actually the first Sandy Bridge system we've received from any manufacturer. ...
What was MIA from the big iPad announcements today?

Pretty exciting stuff at the Yerba Buena Center. From where I sit the new iPad is a substantial, but not groundbreaking upgrade. I do think it has created some unpleasant drama for the Android and unshipped Blackberry tablets.
On the other hand, life is not all about fawning over every move Apple makes (despite what it feels like some days). As I step outside the reality distortion field, there were some things I wanted to see ...
iSkin’s revo4 Special Edition has a ViSOR — Answer calls and stay protected

I'll get this right out of the way -- I'm not a real fan of silicone gel cases or anything that covers up my beautiful iPhone 4 screen. On the other hand, I've been extremely fortunate and have not fumbled my phone onto hard surfaces. For those who do like the somewhat sticky feel and cushioned protection provided by silicone cases, iSkin has introduced the new revo4 Special Edition ($44.99), now with a ViSOR.
Paging Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge To The ...
TUAW discount for Voices That Matter: iPhone Developers Conference

If there's anything that TUAW tries to do to separate itself from the other Apple blogs, it's making sure that we support the iOS and Mac developer communities through our involvement in conferences. While we're usually at Apple's WorldWide Developer Conference (WWDC) to cover the stories, TUAW bloggers have been actively involved in the Voices That Matter, 360 MacDev, and 360 iDev conferences. Mike Schramm is at GDC this week.
Our very own ...
Verizon iPhone 4 not recommended by Consumer Reports as well

Consumer Reports has recently announced that the Verizon iPhone 4 didn’t make their list of recommended phones. Why? The same reason as before – the whole antenna-gate issue that made the AT&T iPhone 4 famous when it was released. The Verizon iPhone 4 is also prone to drop calls in certain areas, according to Consumer Reports. Here’s what they had to say: “The Verizon iPhone 4 closely resembles the original AT&T iPhone 4 in many positive respects, including ...
Mac OS X Lion has TRIM support for SSDs, HiDPI resolutions for improved pixel density?

As you'd expect, developers have wasted no time in tearing apart the Mac OS X Lion preview, and in so doing they've allegedly discovered some intriguing things -- namely, support for the SSD-wiping TRIM command, and a series of high-DPI display modes which would allow for icons and UI elements with twice the graphical detail -- which could mean a PC-sized Retina Display. The former doesn't sound like the most exciting upgrade, but it's truly ...
Watch this iPhone get dunked in a goldfish bowl

It's the weekend, and what better time to watch somebody try to destroy an iPhone than that? After the break below, you can watch video of a presentation at this week's Launch Conference in San Francisco, in which LifeProof, a company that makes iPhone cases built to withstand the elements, dunks said iPhone in said goldfish tank. They also put condiments all over it, cover it in dirt, and just generally make a mess, all to prove that their iPhone case ...
Apple patent offers peek at E-Wallet icon… or does it?

Patently Apple is running another of its excellent, exhaustively detailed listings of Apple's recently awarded patents. In the description of one of the awards, the site pointed out what they believe is an icon for an "E-Wallet" app, possibly pertaining to a Near Field Communications (NFC)-based electronic payment system. We've been hearing a lot about Apple's involvement with ISIS and NFC payments, so it seems likely that the drawing in this patent description could be pointing out the ...
Apple about to add Light Peak to Macs?

According to CNET sources, Apple is set to introduce a new "high-speed connection technology" very soon. The most obvious new connection type this could be is Light Peak, a sort of jack-of-all-trades connection technology. Light Peak allows one interface to be used to connect pretty much any device you can plug into a computer, including displays, scanners, printers, external hard drives, and even devices such as iPods and iPhones.
The obvious hardware to introduce the Light ...