macbook pro

Top five Cracking Open teardowns of 2012

From smartphones and tablets to a $7,000 desktop, we've cracked open a lot of tech this year. And as is the tradition at the end of each year, it's time to take a look at a few of our favorites. During this special episode of Cracking Open, I'm counting down my top five teardowns of 2012.

5. Nokia Lumia 900

First on our list is the Nokia Lumia 900. Released in the spring, this Windows Phone device was Nokia's attempt to recapture some of the American smartphone market.

Unfortunately, as we discovered during our teardown, the phone's hardware just wasn't up to par with the competition. I went so far as to call it mediocre. So why did I include our 900 teardown on this list? Because it's probably this year's best example of why knowing what's inside a device is an important factor in deciding whether to buy one.… Read more

The 404 1,156: Where your cell phone is sick (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Another reason not to buy books: Hackers installed credit card readers at 63 stores across the country, New York City included.

- Attention New Yorkers: It's officially time to freak out about Hurricane Sandy.

- SDSU study confirms that five-second rule is pretty much bull.

- A license plate frame that defeats red light camera flashes.… Read more

Is Apple trying to bury Microsoft under a product avalanche?

Can Microsoft crawl out from under the stack of Apple products announced today?

I don't think I'm the only one stunned by the crush of new Apple products. What, a fourth-generation iPad already? New Mac Minis? Then the new iMacs on top of the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro?

Apple seemed to throw everything but the kitchen sink out there today. But that's only because the rest of the kitchen sink -- the new iPhone and iPod -- was already out there.

Maybe Apple just felt it was time to do a mega-upload of new products. Or maybe, … Read more

Apple news roundup: iPad Mini, new Macs

Tuesday's CNET Update has the breakdown of Apple's new hardware:

Apple shook up the tablet world (again) by revealing the iPad Mini at its press conference Tuesday. Apple also announced a new full-sized iPad and upgrades to its Mac computers. Today's Update video sums up all the new toys, but you can find more details on each product in the links below:

- iPad Mini: Starts at $330 for a 16GB Wi-Fi version, arrives Nov. 2. Preorder Friday. (4G version starts at $460, arrives Nov. 16)

- Fourth-generation iPad: Starts at $500 for 16GB Wi-Fi version, arrives … Read more

13-inch MacBook Pro dons a new Retina Display for $1,699

See CNET's full coverage of Apple's iPad Mini event

Retina-display loving Apple fans rejoice. Apple's rumored 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display is here.

Apple announced the smaller version of its high-end laptop with the sharper-resolution Retina Display at its event today in San Jose, Calif.

Apple already offers a 15-inch version of the laptop with the Retina Display. And now it offers the same sharp screen for its smaller 13-inch sibling. The notebook also comes with the same dual Thunderbolt I/O connectors, as well as an SD card slot and HDMI out port found on … Read more

MacBook Pro 13 with Retina, Mac Mini specs leak online

Some last-minute leaks are making the rounds ahead of Apple's event today, and these involve the expected updates to the Mac Mini and MacBook Pro 13 with Retina.

9 To 5 Mac is reporting that Apple's refreshed Mac Mini models will have upgraded RAM options, as well as updated processors and storage capacity.

Here's the rundown of configurations, according to the site:

2.5 GHz dual-core, 4GB RAM, 500GB Hard drive 2.3 GHz quad-core, 4GB RAM, 1TB Hard drive Server: 2.3 GHz quad-core 4GB of RAM, 2TB Hard drive

The site also had some details … 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

iPad, MacBook torpedoing ultrabook sales, says analyst

Analysts are not kind to ultrabooks. Add Tim Bajarin to that long list.

Though the Creative Strategies president offers plenty of reasons for ultrabooks' woes, one of the more intriguing is that Apple products are boxing ultrabooks into a pricing dead zone.

The mid-range, between $799 and $899 -- where an increasing number of ultrabooks are priced -- "may be going away," Bajarin wrote in a recent post.

That's the upper end of the pricing range of Apple's very popular iPad. And above that, it's a MacBook market -- which Bajarin says consumers will pay … Read more

Vizio meets the MacBook: Part 2

Vizio's new ultrabook-style laptops have a kink or two to iron out before they can take on the MacBook.

Last week, I wrote about my experience with Vizio's new ultrathin laptops -- which are just beginning to become widely available -- at the Microsoft store in Los Angeles. After sitting down and using the 14- and 15-inch "Thin+Light" laptops, I was wowed by their displays.

And that's what I focused on, since that's a crucial feature to get right if you take on the MacBook -- particularly now with the Retina MacBook Pro. … Read more

Mountain Lion's PowerNap feature requires firmware update

One of the new features in OS X Mountain Lion is the PowerNap energy-saving option that allows newer MacBook Pro and MacBook Air systems to continue to use network and backup services when in sleep mode. However, even after installing the OS X Mountain Lion upgrade, qualified systems may not be able to use the PowerNap feature.

When activated in the system's Energy Saver system preferences, PowerNap will perform hourly checks for new e-mail and updates to Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Notes, iCloud documents, and Photo Stream. It will also maintain a connection for Apple's Find My Mac service. … Read more