| New MacBook Pros vs. MacBook Pros (late 2011): what's changed? Jun 11th 2012, 19:09  Since the epic rise of the MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro has become something of a dark horse in the Apple notebook family. Sure, it may not be Cupertino's thinnest, sexiest product, but it has the heavy-duty internals to handle intense graphics for artists and gamers alike. Apple just announced its updated 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros -- not to mention a new 15-inch model with a brilliant Retina display, and these new machines boast some pretty impressive upgrades. There's no shortage of spec changes to keep track of, so check out our comparison charts below to see what the new models bring to the table (hint: highlights include USB 3.0, Ivy Bridge and a thinner designs). | | 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro (2011)
 | 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro (2012)
 | Retina display 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro (2012)
 | | Dimensions | 14.35 x 9.82 x 0.95 inches | 14.35 x 9.82 x 0.95 inches | 14.13 x 9.73 x 0.71 inches | | Display Resolution | 1,440 x 900 | 1,400 x 900 | 2,800 x 1,800 | | CPU | Intel Core i7 (2.2GHz - 2.4GHz) | Core i7 Ivy Bridge (2.3GHz) | Core i7 Ivy Bridge (2.7GHz) | | Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6750M / AMD Radeon HD 6770M | Intel HD Graphics 4000 / NVIDIA Kepler GeForce GT 650M with up to 1GB of memory | NVIDIA Kepler GeForce GT 650M with up to 1GB of memory | | Memory | 4GB | Up to 8GB | 8GB up to 16GB | | Storage | 500GB / 750GB | 1TB / SSDs up to 512GB | Up to 768GB SSD | | Ports | Thunderbolt, Firewire 800, two USB 2.0, SD card slot | Two Thunderbolt, USB 3.0, Firewire 800, SD card slot, new MagSafe 2 connector | Two Thunderbolt, HDMI, USB 3.0, SD card slot, new MagSafe2 connector | | Battery life | 7 hours | 7 hours | 7 hours | | Weight | 5.6 pounds | 5.6 pounds | 4.46 pounds | | Price | $1,799 | $1,799 | $2,199 | Continue reading New MacBook Pros vs. MacBook Pros (late 2011): what's changed? New MacBook Pros vs. MacBook Pros (late 2011): what's changed? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple next-generation MacBook Pro (with Retina display) eyes-on at WWDC 2012 Jun 11th 2012, 19:06  Heh -- rumor didn't have this one! We just wrapped our eyes around Apple's new 15.4-inch "next-generation" MacBook Pro here at WWDC 2012, and while it was under lock and key, it doesn't take a touch to see that this thing is devilishly thin. For all intents and purposes, this is the 15-inch MacBook Air that many have been waiting for. Gone is the optical drive, and in are two USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt sockets (side-by-side, instead of one on each edge), a full-size HDMI socket, a 3.5mm headphone port and an SD card slot. Oh, and a MagSafe 2 power connector. On one hand, it's great to see Apple finally embracing USB 3.0; on the other, it's obvious by the duo of Thunderbolt sockets that it'd prefer use those. Whatever the case, the new Pro is quite the looker, and we're guessing Apple won't have any issues moving too many of these beauts -- even at $2,199 (and up). Unfortunately, there's no new Pro sitting around outside of a case, but you can enjoy a few glass-enclosed glamor shots in the gallery below. Apple next-generation MacBook Pro (with Retina display) eyes-on at WWDC 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple officially gives Google Maps the boot, launches own Maps app with turn-by-turn navigation Jun 11th 2012, 18:38  It's been one the big questions hanging over WWDC -- will Apple actually toss Google to the side and launch it's own mapping service specifically for iOS? Well, it's not a question any more, but a cold hard fact. Apple's mapping solution is here, taking over where Google left off. The move is hardly shocking since Apple has already confirmed that it's been working on a traffic database and snatched up a number of mapping companies. Besides, it's not like Cupertino and Mountain View are the best of buds right now. Maps includes all of the features you've come to expect from the previous iOS solution, but with a number of enhancements. This all new mapping solution includes 100 million different business listings, Yelp integration and, biggest of all, turn-by-turn navigation. The app does use anonymously collected data to populate traffic information and any rerouting is brought to your attention with a pop-up notification. The story isn't done yet, though. The maps are even rendered in full 3D, not unlike what Google announced last week. (And the news was delivered in a way that made it clear Apple think's they've one upped their former map app provider.) The whole demo -- flipping through business listings, flying around in 3D and navigating labyrinth-like city streets -- was performed on one of those shiny new iPads... you know, the ones that are getting Siri support soon. Which, if you haven't figured out yet, plays quite nicely with the new Maps app as we saw in the demo. Ask Siri to find a gas station on your route or how much longer you'll be on the road and the pleasantly robotic voice gets you the relevant info. Developing... For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple officially gives Google Maps the boot, launches own Maps app with turn-by-turn navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple demos Passbook, a one-stop shop for tickets and boarding passes Jun 11th 2012, 18:36  From airline and train boarding passes to concert tickets, we've seen a variety of tix make their way into the digital realm at venues around the world. With today's announcement of Passbook, the hard copy credential may soon be a thing of the past. Speaking on stage at Apple's WWDC keynote, VP of iOS Software Scott Forstall demonstrated the feature with United boarding passes, Fandango movie tickets and a Starbucks gift card. While none of these examples are making their premiere debut, Passbook will certainly make the QR-code-based stubs more user-friendly, while also increasing awareness among folks who continue to opt for paper while doubting the usability and authenticity of a digital counterpart. Passbook is also location aware, bringing up a Starbucks card as you approach a shop, for example. You can also get updates related to your stored credentials, such as a gate change announcement with a pending United boarding pass. The feature will come bundled with iOS 6, set to launch this fall. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple demos Passbook, a one-stop shop for tickets and boarding passes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple's FaceTime finally goes cellular, says so long to WiFi restrictions Jun 11th 2012, 18:31  We've been waiting for it, and Apple surely took its sweet time to give it to us, but FaceTime has finally been let loose from its WiFi bonds, leaving us all free to video chat over cellular data. This is great news for all those Apple fans who resolutely refused to use similar services from Skype, Tango, or Google, that have been around for ages. As for us, well, better late than never. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, check out our liveblog! Apple's FaceTime finally goes cellular, says so long to WiFi restrictions originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple integrates Facebook into iOS 6, App Store, Macs Jun 11th 2012, 18:28  The string of iOS 6 updates has brought one of the more heavily requested social networking features: Facebook integration. You can share from core apps like Maps, Photos and Safari, but it's woven even more deeply than Twitter was in iOS 5: you can use Siri to make your commands, and there's now a public API for Facebook so that other apps can do the same. The App Store gets its own share of integration, with app recommendations based on what friends are using, and contact syncing now makes sure your social network is all lined up. Best of all, the Facebook integration is coming to Macs as well -- so you'll have a consistent experience no matter what device you're on. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple integrates Facebook into iOS 6, App Store, Macs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple teases Eyes Free, Siri car integration Jun 11th 2012, 18:22  Apple's VP of iOS Software Scott Forstall just demoed Eyes Free, Siri's new vehicle integration. The feature is being framed as a safety booster, letting you tap a steering wheel-mounted button to toggle Siri on your iOS device, rather than reaching around for your iPhone or iPad and taking precious seconds away from the road. This being Apple, there are already plenty of partners lined up -- BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda are all said to be on board, with Siri support making its way to vehicles within the next 12 months. It's certainly not the first example of smartphone/car integration we've seen, but it could soon end up being one of the most widely utilized, despite the years-long head-start competing technologies have enjoyed. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple teases Eyes Free, Siri car integration originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple updates Siri with sports stats, help from Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes, expanded local search Jun 11th 2012, 18:21  As it's made clear with its recent ads, Apple is betting big on Siri, and the company has just now rolled out it's first big update to the personal assistant during its WWDC keynote. The service is now able to answer a variety of sports related questions, from scores and stats to game times, and it's added both Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes to its bag of tricks for dining and movie recommendations. What's more, Siri will now also let you launch apps if you're tired of tapping through folders, and Apple is finally expanding Siri's local search functionality from just the US to no less than 60 difference countries. The other big Siri news is that it's finally headed to the new iPad, and even to cars via Apple's new Eyes Free integration, although that is still a bit further off (within the next 12 months is the word). For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, check out our liveblog! Apple updates Siri with sports stats, help from Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes, expanded local search originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple brags: sells 365 million iOS devices, 140 million iMessage users Jun 11th 2012, 18:16  Apple has never shied away from taking a few shots at Android during its WWDC keynotes, and why would 2012 be any different. Just before taking the wraps off iOS 6, Apple took some time to toss out a few numbers highlighting its spectacular sales and sizable user base. All told, by the end of March, the company had moved 365 million iOS devices, with the vast majority of them (80 percent) running iOS 5 -- a point they made sure to drive home with a graphic comparing the install base of Android 4.0. But, sales alone mean nothing without an active user community. Which is why Cupertino was so happy to report that 140 million iMessage users were sending more than one billion messages each day, for a grand total of 150 billion SMS and MMS missives. Push notifications have also clearly taken off in a big way, with 1.5 trillion having graced our notification screens. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple brags: sells 365 million iOS devices, 140 million iMessage users originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple unveils iOS 6 at WWDC, launch apps with Siri, Facebook integration, Maps Jun 11th 2012, 18:12  Looks like they didn't print the banner out for nothing -- as anticipated, it's not just refreshed MacBook Airs or Mountain Lion getting the red carpet treatment at today's World Wide Developer's Conference keynote. Cupertino has also taken the shiny cling wrap off of the latest version of iOS. What's new? Well at least 200 things! Most notably, Siri has gotten a little make over, including the ability to launch apps, more knowledge of sports, restaurants and movie times, it's also coming to iPad. There's better Facebook integration too, with photos, websites, maps and more getting the instant share option -- you can even "like" or share app from the Appstore. Other tweaks on the phone side of things let you dismiss incoming calls with a swipe, or send a pre-written SMS, even set it to give you a reminder once you change location. Another popular feature will be "Do Not Disturb" which holds off all those notifications (from your new Facebook friends, we guess). You'll still get them, but the won't alert, or light up the screen. Face-timers will also be pleased to see that feature finally working over cellular. Sharing images also just got easier with shared Photo Streams -- choose the pictures, choose the friends. Done. New "Guided Access" allows parents or teachers (for example) to keep users from exiting an app accidentally (or in the case of the teachers -- intentionally!). More info and PR after the break. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, check out our liveblog Continue reading Apple unveils iOS 6 at WWDC, launch apps with Siri, Facebook integration, Maps Apple unveils iOS 6 at WWDC, launch apps with Siri, Facebook integration, Maps originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple introduces Power Nap OS X feature that updates your Mac while it's sleeping Jun 11th 2012, 18:07  Apple just introduced a new OS X feature here at WWDC 2012 called Power Nap. It lets your Mac update email, notifications and photos in the background, as well as back itself up while charging. Whether or not Apple ever drops the word "Ultrabooks" (and trust us, it won't), this addition is a clear retort to all those Windows-based ultraportables that promise to keep web-based apps up to date. In addition to the new MacBook Pros announced today, the feature will work with the second-generation Air, which makes us think all other legacy Macs might be excluded. Supposedly, too, the technology goes easy on the battery and won't stir up the fans, though Apple claims they're quieter on the new Macs anyway. For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub! Myriam Joire contributed to this report. Apple introduces Power Nap OS X feature that updates your Mac while it's sleeping originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple unveils new features for Safari: unified search, iCloud Tabs multi-device syncing and more Jun 11th 2012, 18:03  Apple's fresh new hardware may have gotten the headlines thus far during Apple's WWDC keynote today, but there's also some good news for browser aficionados, too. Safari has taken a page out of Chrome's book by offering unified search for the web, your history and bookmarks. Additionally, Safari now syncs your web-browsing info across all your devices. Called iCloud Tabs, the feature lets you see the tabs you have open on any device simultaneously. That means you can surf the web on your iPhone while you're out and about, and continue your web session seamlessly on that shiny new MacBook Pro when you get home by clicking the new handy dandy iCloud button. Not only that, Safari's picked up some new multitouch tricks, letting you swipe all the way out to tab view, then pinch on the page you want to dive back in. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, check out our liveblog! Apple unveils new features for Safari: unified search, iCloud Tabs multi-device syncing and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, Aperture, AutoCAD and more score Retina Display support Jun 11th 2012, 17:36  As we learned pretty quickly when the iPhone 4 introduced the Retina display to the world, all those pixels are pretty useless without apps that can truly take advantage. Thankfully, Apple wasn't about to leave the stage today without delivering the goods for its next gen MacBook Pros. In addition to all the stock apps being updated, Final Cut Pro and Aperture have also gotten the appropriate boost in pixel density, allowing them to be all they can be on that 220ppi display. Which, in the case of Final Cut, means full-res 1080p video docked in a corner of the interface with all the tools exposed to your itchy editing finger. If that isn't good enough for you, Adobe is hard at work on Photoshop and Autodesk will be delivering an update to AutoCAD as well. And, in case you're worried that all work and no play makes Tim Cook a dull boy, Diablo 3 has also been updated, instantly making the Mac our favorite platform to farm low level baddies for gold on. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, Aperture, AutoCAD and more score Retina Display support originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple announces first Retina display in a MacBook, 220ppi with 2880 x 1800 resolution Jun 11th 2012, 17:30  Apple just announced its next-generation MacBook Pro, and it comes equipped with a gorgeous 220 pixel-per-inch 2880 x 1800 display. That's quite a bit shy of the 326 ppi LCD on the iPhone 4S and the 264 ppi density of the new iPad's display, but it's still a massive improvement over the 1680 x 1050 pixels found on Apple's previous-generation clamshell. The new Retina is, as Apple marketing head Phil Shiller not-so-modestly pointed out during this morning's WWDC keynote, the "world's highest-resolution notebook display." It's also soon to be the highest-res LCD in any household, offering three million more pixels than your 1080p HDTV. It's a bit hard to determine just how impressive this next-gen tech is from where we're seated at the keynote, but we'll be back with more impressions just as soon as the presentation wraps. Or, if you have $2,199 to spare for a 2.3GHz model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, you can pick up your very own today. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple announces first Retina display in a MacBook, 220ppi with 2880 x 1800 resolution originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple announces next-generation MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71-inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 Jun 11th 2012, 17:28 Apple announced some new MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros early in its WWDC keynote today, but it had another surprise in store for its big hardware announcement: the next-generation MacBook Pro. It packs a Retina display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution (or 220ppi), and a casing that measures just 0.71-inch thin and weighs 4.46 pounds. In addition to that high resolution, Apple is also promising higher contrast ratios, better viewing angles and reduced glare compared to other laptop displays, and it's updated all of its stock apps to take advantage of those extra pixels, not to mention Aperture and Final Cut Pro -- "reading your mail is like reading fine print," according to Apple's Phil Schiller. As for the other specs, you'll get up to 16GB of RAM, NVIDIA Kepler GT 650M graphics, up to a quad-core 2.7GHz Core i7 processor, a maximum 768GB of storage (SSD, naturally), and a promised seven hours of battery life with 30 days standby. One spec nowhere to be seen: an optical drive. Also on the outs are Ethernet and FireWire 800 ports, which you'll now need an optional Thunderbolt adapter to use. Making its debut on the laptop is a new, thinner MagSafe connector, as well as a new fan that's said to be "nearly imperceptible" to the user. Pricing starts at $2,199 for a 2.3GHz unit with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and it's shipping today. "It's without doubt the very best computer that we've ever built," says Schiller. Update: Check out our eyes-on look at the device right here. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Continue reading Apple announces next-generation MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71-inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 Apple announces next-generation MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71-inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple unveils new MacBook Pro with Ivy Bridge at WWDC Jun 11th 2012, 17:23  Apple is certainly making WWDC a hardware conference this year -- it just unveiled a refresh of the existing MacBook Pro running Intel's newer Ivy Bridge processors on the San Francisco gathering's opening day. The 13- and 15-inch portables run up to 2.7GHz quad Core i7s (turbo up to 3.7GHz), carry up to 8GB of RAM and have GeForce GT 650M-based graphics 60 percent faster than the previous generation. Like the new MacBook Air, they tout USB 3.0 ports. If you're more comfortable with Apple's conventional MacBook Pro design than the new variety, Apple will ask $1,099 for the base 13-inch version and $1,799 for a 15-inch version, with an upgraded 15-inch model going for $2,199. All of them are shipping today -- we're not seeing any mention of an updated 17-inch version, so it may have been cast aside. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Continue reading Apple unveils new MacBook Pro with Ivy Bridge at WWDC Apple unveils new MacBook Pro with Ivy Bridge at WWDC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple announces refreshed MacBook Air: Ivy Bridge processor, USB 3.0, shipping today Jun 11th 2012, 17:20  Apple's skinnier, lighter MacBook option checked in for another (irregular) hardware update at this year's WWDC. Just under a year since the last time the range was renovated, the move to Ivy Bridge processors wasn't the only thing that changed. First up, those processors will reach up to 2GHz Core i7, with Turbo Boost tipping these up to 3.2GHz. The FaceTime camera is now 720p, with the display on the 11-inch model staying put at 1366 x 768 (but with Intel's HD graphics 4000 doing the pushing). The 13-incher will house a 1440 x 900 screen and both will arrive with a pair of USB 3.0 ports and capacity for up to 8GB of RAM. Storage will now extend to 512GB, while prices will start at $999 for the most basic option, up to $1099 for the speediest offering. The best part? They'll start shipping today. For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub. Continue reading Apple announces refreshed MacBook Air: Ivy Bridge processor, USB 3.0, shipping today Apple announces refreshed MacBook Air: Ivy Bridge processor, USB 3.0, shipping today originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
