display

OWC releases first Retina SSD upgrade

Mac-centric peripheral and upgrade supplier Other World Computing has released new solid-state drive upgrade options for Apple's latest MacBook models. These upgrades allow you more flexibility in the configuration options for your MacBook system over the CTO options that Apple has supplied through its online store, especially for early adopters of the systems.

Apple's latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina Display systems have all been crammed with more features in smaller chassis designs, which has resulted in Apple shying away from industry-standard form factors for components to more proprietary designs that it can morph around the … Read more

Apple patent could lead to thinner, lighter iPhone screens

Users of the iPhone could eventually see thinner and lighter displays, if Apple follows through on a patent it just received.

Awarded to Apple today, the newly patented LCD screen technology integrates the touch sensors with the actual display circuits, reducing the space taken up by the screen. The new technology is an improvement over the current technique, which places the touch sensors on top of the screen and naturally leads to a thicker display.

Dubbed simply "Touch screen liquid crystal display," the patent suggests a variety of ways to integrate the various components. In one scenario, the … Read more

Beware the allure of Apple's Retina Displays

Apple's Retina Displays are drop-dead gorgeous. But be careful what you wish for.

Like many, I got the third-generation iPad because of the 2,048-by-1,536-pixel-density Retina Display. And, like many, I didn't see a huge difference at first.

That was then. Now it's painful to pick up my Dell laptop with its 1,366x768-pixel 13.3-inch display and Windows 7 fonts (note: font-smoothing utilities go just so far).

And while my 11.6-inch MacBook Air fares better than the Dell (it packs the same number of pixels but into a smaller area giving it a higher PPI … Read more

New hints of possible iOS 6 feature tweaks

With the release of iOS 6 highly likely in September (concurrent with the expected iPhone 5 announcement), the rumors around unannounced feature changes at tech sites are reaching an all-time high, so I decided to round up some of the big ones here. We already know about the main features in iOS 6 Apple announced at WWDC in June, but this list is more about leaked info that other sites are talking about. Obviously, we can't know for sure if any of these will be true at launch, but it's always fun to talk about what might be … Read more

Gamers go ga-ga over Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset

You'd think this were the turn of the 1990s. The "Total Recall" remake just opened today in theaters, and a virtual-reality headset ended up being up the hottest thing in the gaming world this week.

The Oculus Rift works like a conventional head-mounted display, but packs a few features that make it ideal for gaming. For example, the Rift offers impressive head-tracking capabilities; stereoscopic 3D rendering; a wide field of view (110 degrees -- most headsets only offer around 40 degrees); and several inputs (DVI/HDMI and USB). When wearing the Oculus, each eye gets close and personal with a 640x800 LCD screen for a total resolution of 1,280x800 (720p). … Read more

Angry Birds adds 15 new levels, support for Retina iPad

Those Angry Birds are still angry even though they can now hang out on the beach with 15 new levels.

Flying in today to iPhone and iPad users, version 2.2 of the original Angry Birds nestles in with a whole new set of challenges.

A new section dubbed Surf and Turf offers 15 levels where you can slingshot the angry birds at the piggies just trying to get a tan at the beach. As usually, the levels start off easy but get more difficult as you move along.

But don't worry, if you bump into trouble getting through … Read more

Retina MacBook Pro buyers can now choose CPU, storage options

Consumers eyeing a Retina MacBook Pro now have a choice of CPU, drive storage size, and other options.

Apple has revamped the order page for both flavors of the new MacBook Pro with a build-to-order configuration. So you can now pick your options based on the features you want and how much money you're willing to spend.

Previously, buyers looking for the less-expensive 2.3GHz model were forced to move up to the pricier 2.6GHz version if they needed a beefier CPU or more hard drive storage, noted Apple blogging site MacRumors.… Read more

iPad Mini display production slated for August, says analyst

The gears could start to turn as early as this month for the production of a smaller iPad.

Production of the 7.85-inch display slated for use on a smaller version of the iPad should begin in August, an analyst told CNET.

"We expect panel production to start in August, with production ramping up to high volumes (more than a million units per month) in the fourth quarter," said Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, in response to an e-mail query.

Semenza said this is DisplaySearch's "understanding of the activity for the 7.85 [inch] … Read more

Rumor Has It: iPhone 5 isn't the only trick up Apple's sleeve

On this week's show, we discuss the latest iPhone 5 release date rumors, Samsung's possible Retina Display, and an alleged new tablet from Sony, and we wonder if Apple is really interested in buying a stake in Twitter.

The New York Times came out with a report over the weekend describing talks between Apple and the 140-character proselytizer. The report alleged that Apple has considered buying a minority stake in Twitter, a company that hasn't yet filed an IPO. The Wall Street Journal chimed in to say the talks were more than a year ago, and its … Read more