mac. macbook

Business customers ordering a new Retina MacBook Pro could face a hefty wait time.

Several recent buyers ordering the new notebook through Apple's enterprise channel revealed an increased delay to MacRumors. E-mails sent to customers from Apple stated that due to an unexpected delay, the MacBook Pro will not be shipping by the date they were quoted.

One e-mail published by MacRumors pointed to a new shipping date on or before July 25, as great as a month from the initial order. That contrasts with the original projected wait time of 7-10 business days.… Read more

Editors' note: This post was updated June 12, 2013, with the new 2013 MacBook Airs.

For the first time since last October, Apple has released new MacBooks -- but for now, they're just Airs.

Both the 13- and 11-inch MacBook Air are refreshed with new fourth-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and better battery life, but few other significant changes apart from faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, the MacBook Pros -- both the non-Retina and Retina models -- retain the same processors and specs as before. A bit confusing, to be sure, but check out the rundown below … Read more

Although the slim, ultralight profile of the MacBook Air is impressive, owners must sacrifice a few features PC owners take for granted, like an optical drive and an Ethernet port.

Without an Ethernet port, the Air is a wireless-only machine, forcing users to find a Wi-Fi connection, even if there's a more stable wired network available.

Apple offers two workarounds: a USB Ethernet adapter and (new for 2012) a Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter. However, each of them will set you back $29.

Thankfully, there are plenty of cheaper USB to Ethernet adapter solutions out there.

Monoprice, the Internet's best-kept … Read more

The new Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display announced earlier this week just got an Editors' Choice review on CNET, but some die-hard tinkerers are upset about the lack of upgradeable components inside. According to iFixit.org, the latest MacBook Pro is the least reparable Apple laptop to date.

For starters, users are locked into the amount of RAM they choose at the purchase date, as the memory is actually soldered to the logic board. The proprietary solid-state hard drive is staying put as well, and watch out for a couple of booby traps concealed underneath the lithium-polymer battery! The laptop certainly remains incomparable in terms of display, I/O ports, and chassis, but keep in mind that your upgrade options down the line are severely limited if you go with this model.… Read more

The upgradable computer is under attack.

In case you haven't noticed, Apple and every other first-tier PC maker on the planet are pushing thin laptops, not to mention even thinner tablets. Problem is, really thin computers are, by design, "sealed." That means, fewer and fewer upgradable computers.

In fact, these days the only chance you'll have to upgrade most ultrabooks and MacBooks is when you order them online. After that, you're stuck with the configuration.

As is the case with the Retina MacBook Pro. "Unlike previous generations of MacBook Pros, the MacBook Pro with … Read more

The updated MacBook Air doesn't look new on the outside, but the inside is a different story.

That story mostly revolves around Ivy Bridge, Intel's new 22-nanometer processor that boasts upgraded graphics silicon ("up to 60 percent faster graphics," says Apple). But there are a few more subtle changes, too, according to iFixit's teardown.

Intel's new engine: iFixit found a Core i5-3427U 1.8GHz chip. That comes with Turbo Boost, which can ratchet up the speed to 2.8GHz, and Intel's HD 4000 graphics. Not surprisingly, the Core i5 is Intel's most … Read more

Apple's cheaper-but-better MacBook Air isn't good news for ultrabooks.

Ultrabooks surfaced last year as a niche product in response to the Air. And now Intel, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, at el are trying to mainstream the skinny laptops.

There's one problem. Apple just cut the price and upped the processor specs on the MacBook Air today.

So, is Apple still standard bearer and ultrabooks just pretenders to the lightweight laptop throne?

Only time and market-share numbers will tell.

Spec check: $1,099 11.6-inch MBA: The high-end model has dropped to $1,099 from $1,199 and packs … Read more

Apple's kickoff press conference for its 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference is now history. While the show is arguably aimed at the company's army of iOS and Mac software developers --and there was plenty of new iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion news on display -- WWDC was once again used as a launching pad for a variety of new hardware products as well.

In addition to a line of updated MacBook laptops (including a first-ever high-end Retina Display model), Apple also delivered some notable hardware refreshes that it didn't choose to highlight at its press conference: a new AirPort Express router, an updated iPad case, and a very slight upgrade to its Mac Pro desktop.

The new Apple hardware and accessories, in-depth:… Read more

Apple announced the 0.7-inch-thick "next-generation MacBook Pro" this morning. And its marquee feature is a Retina Display, making this the first MacBook to get one.

Resolution: The display boasts a staggering pixel density of 2,880 by 1,800. That's 220 pixels per inch and a total 5.18 million pixels. And that beats the 2048-by-1536 resolution on the third-generation iPad.

Apple's Phil Schiller said it's the world's highest-resolution notebook display. He's certainly right if he's talking about 15-inch laptops.

Screen: Higher contrast ratios, better viewing angles via IPS technology, and … Read more