Photo: Dekuwa / Flickr

One of Apple’s execs, Phil Schiller, has on several times mentioned that a touchscreen laptop or desktop would be uncomfortable to use, due to them being upright and not natural for your arm to constantly reach out. For this reason, Apple opted to leave touchscreen computing to the iPad, while adding a multitouch interface in the form of the Magic Mouse and the Magic Pad to the desktop line.

Well, if a patent reported by patentlyapple is anything to go by, the company is presently experimenting with touchscreen displays on traditional notebooks.

Upright stack

The US patent and trademark office published 20 new patents for Apple Inc. this week alone, with the touch display being one of them. This patent details an integrated touchscreen, with touch-sensing circuitry built into the screen pixel stackup of an Apple display. And, in case you were thinking the description could limit it to just the iPad anyway, the Apple patent specifically names devices where this could be applied, including media players, mobile phones and notebooks.

What else is patented

While the touchscreen display patent is by far the most intriguing, Apple Inc. also had a few other patents of interest granted. One detailed an important on-chip decompression engine for the A4 processor found in the company’s iPhones, while a number of them were granted for Pro photography application Aperture.

A button less future

With the iPod, the first signs that Apple wanted to do away with buttons became evident. The company would later launch mouses with fewer buttons, all the while reducing the number of buttons on the iPod. By the time the iPhone and iPad arrived, Apple had managed to get their marquee devices down to one main button – the home button. While I don’t think this Apple patent spells the end for buttons on notebooks, it is interesting to see the company is all-in when it comes to touch computing.

Photo: Apple

There was once a point Apple ran its Macbook and Macbook Pro lines concurrently. The Macbooks were available in 13-inch varieties – in white and black – and the Macbook Pro was avaialble in 15- and 17-inch varieties. Apple changed that, and restructured their line, giving a greater focus to the Macbook Pro. But they left some love for the Macbook, while making the jump to Macbook Pro that little bit more attractive.

The stand-alone Macbook

The current stand-alone Macbook ships for $999 in the US, and, if you search carefully, you can get that a cheap Apple Macbook in the UK for under £800. The current Macbook ships with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. Apple has traded in the old Macbook’s body, and given it a slick plastic unibody, not dissimilar to how the Macbook Pro has an aluminium unibody.

The Macbook Pro range

The Macbook Pro range is available in 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch varieties. In terms of computing configuration, the 13-inch version, which is the cheap Apple Macbook Pro, is available with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, with speeds of 2.4GHz to 2.66GHz.

Photo: Apple

The 15-inch model comes with an Intel Core i5 in a 2.4GHz or 2.53GHz variety with 3MB of L3 cache. For those looking to supercharge their 15-inch Macbook Pro, you can get a 2.66GHz Intel Core i7 processor with 4MB of shared L3 cache.

The 17-inch Macbook Pro shares the processor setup found on the 15-inch model, but it abandons the entry-level 2.4GHz. At the top end of the 17-inch Macbook Pro range, you’re paying $2,299 (£1,490).

The truth is, for Apple you always pay a premium, so you’re unlikely to find a cheap Apple Macbook. Those who love Apple products swear by them, and it’s easy to see why – they’re fantastic pieces of kit.

Photo: Apple

Earlier in the year Apple upgraded the MacBook Pro to get with the times. New additions to the Apple laptop included an upgrade to the powerful and fast Intel Core i7 processor, improved graphics card and the battery life has also been extended.

What the MacBook Pro has to offer

Overall the Apple MacBook Pro is a good looking laptop and the build quality is superb. It comes in three different screen sizes: 13 inches, 15 inches and 17 inches. The 15-inch version of the Apple machine is the most comfortable to use and is not too big or too small. The MacBook Pro is also definitely no slouch, with the Intel iCore i7 clocking in at 2.66 GHz and making day-to-day computing a breeze.

Graphics on the Apple laptop are powered by an Nvidia Geforce 330M which isn’t the best for gaming, but definitely gets through editing photos and videos. The battery life with the Apple laptop running on Mac OS X is incredible, with the device offering an amazing eight to 11 hours of battery life when idling and about three hours and 20 minutes when watching HD videos.

Which one to choose

Out of the three Apple MacBook Pros available, the 15 inch stands out as the Apple laptop which most people will want to own. The 17 inch, though offering a bigger screen with a higher screen resolution, is big and bulky and not capable of the mobile computing which a laptop of the calibre of the Apple product is supposed to offer. The 17 inch is seems more suited to be left at home and used as a mobile workstation. The 13 inch isn’t a bad machine, but it may be a bit too small for some people to use. It is perfect for the user who always wants to use their Apple laptop on the move, though.

The Apple MacBook Pro is definitely a laptop to be taken seriously by anyone looking for a laptop offering extensive multimedia capabilities. The 13 inch retails at £1116.24, while the 15 inch and 17 inch retail at £1619.10 and £1585 respectively.

Photo: Apple

Following in the wake of the Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 Macbook Pro updates, the recently leaked entry-level Macbook update has turned out not to be just rumour. And, oddly enough, has snuck onto shelves without the usual red carpet Apple treatment.

Specs

Outside of any manufacturing enhancements Apple most likely made, the new Macbook has seen an update in two areas – the CPU and the GPU. It sees the 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo bumped up to 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo. With respect to graphical processing, the latest Macbook will have the same NVIDIA GeForce 320M GPU found in the current Macbook Pro lineup. Why is this a big deal? Primarily because the intelligently designed GPU can perform graphics processing when needed, yet saves battery life by running somewhat idle when not required.

These two updates places the entry level Macbook’s specs at 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, with 250GB storage and 2GB DDR3 RAM at a price of £849, which is around £30 more expensive than. For more of your hard-earned pounds, you can upgrade your Macbook to 4GB RAM with built-in storage space expandable up to 500GB.

Bizarre leak

What brought attention to what appears to be an intentionally stealthy release is how it was leaked a few days ago by Vietnamese publication, Tinhte. This is the same publication that found that second lost iPhone 4G and revealed the Dell Mini 5 would have a Snapdragon processor through a teardown.

Mac updates

With this entry-level Macbook update following the recent Macbook Pro update, Apple has updated two-thirds of its laptop lineup, with only the Macbook Air left out. The Macbook Pro 13-inch has specs similar to the updated Macbook, while the 15-inch and 17-inch Macbook Pro both got Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 composition.

Photo: Apple

Tinhte, the Vietnamese site that broke the Dell Mini 5 teardown, confirming it had a Snapdragon processor, as well as the ‘founders’ of the second leaked 4G iPhone, have leaked information of a Macbook refresh.

In-line with 13-inch pro

Like the long overdue Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 Macbook Pro updates, the white Macbook hasn’t had an update in a while, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the leak were true. The supposed update would see the Macbook 7.1 with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, up from 2.2GHz. In addition to the CPU bump, the GPU has been switched to a 256MB DDR3 Nvidia GeForce 320M chipset, a welcome change from the current GeForce 9400M. Observant readers will note that this is the exact same CPU GPU combo found in the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Whether the price of $999 (about £650) will remain is unclear, but if it does, outside of RAM, it will be quite similar to the 13-inch Macbook Pro.

Why Vietnam

The question on everybody’s mind is why these impressive scoops keep leaking out of Vietnam. One possibility is the growing manufacturing industry, as an alternative to China, being accompanied by slightly more lax information control. The other possibility is Tinhte are just super good at what they do.

Refresh roundup

So, if this Macbook refresh is indeed the case, coupled with the rumoured Macbook Air refresh, Apple would have refreshed its entire laptop range.

The Pro lineup has 4GB RAM as a standard, with the CPU GPU set for the 13-inch Macbook Pro available as mentioned above. The 15-inch and 17-inch Macbook Pros have Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 options. Processor speeds for the Intel Core i5 come in at either 2.4GHz or 2.53GHz, while the Intel Core i7 option has a processor speed of 2.66GHz.

Alas, treat this Macbook refresh as pure speculation, at this point.

Photo: Apple

Last year, the Apple laptops lineup was consolidated, with the company reducing its Macbook range to one laptop and adding a 13 inch variation to its Macbook Pro lineup. And this year, Apple refreshed its Macbook Pro lineup, dropping Intel’s Core Duo 2 processors for the 15-inch and 17-inch Pros in favour of the newer Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 processors.

Size matters

The 13-inch Macbook and Macbook Pro will stick with the Core Duo 2. The Macbook will run at 2.26GHz, whereas the Macbook Pro is available at 2.4GHz and 2.66GHz. In this respect, they will be notably slower than the 15-inch and the 17-inch Macbook Pros, considering those laptops are adopting the newer Core i5 and Core i7 processors.

The 15-inch Macbook Pro will be getting a processor update to the Intel Core i5, with speeds of 2.4GHz (520M) and 2.53GHz (540M) available. An Intel Core i7 variation running at 2.66GHz is available, too.

The 17-inch Macbook Pro, is available with the same 2.53GHz Intel Core i5 configurations seen in the 15-inch Macbook pro, and the 2.66GHz (620M) Intel Core i7 configuration as well.

Deliberate tiering

Photo: Apple

This move is contrary to Apple’s recent Mac strategy of converging the capability of their machines by creating a 13-inch Macbook Pro variation. Now the company has deliberately tiered the 15-inch and 17-inch laptops, meaning, in architecture at least, the 13-inch is more a half-step between the Macbook and the Pro than a full blown Macbook Pro.

The Standard

All the laptops have 4GB RAM, With 320GB hard drive capacity for the lower end and 500GB capacity for the step ups. The laptops start at $999 (around £780) for the 13-inch Macbook model and at $2,299 (almost £1,500) for the base 17-inch configuration.

Apple is undoubtedly one of the leading manufactures of an array of world class laptops that are in great demand as well. The latest Apple MacBook (MC207B/A) is fitted with a number of features that offers superior performance for a number years to come. The laptop is available in a stylish white colour which gives it a sophisticated and royal look. It has a wide screen which offers crystal clear pictures that will take your breath away. The device has a sleek and portable design and can be easily carried without any hassle.

This laptop is a product of the very famous Apple MacBook series. The clock speed of the device is around 2260 MHz which is much more than several other laptops. It is also equipped with 1024 MB of RAM that ensures swift functionality and optimum performance. The hard disk memory is around 250 GB which enables you to store all sorts of audio, video and various other files as well. The Apple MacBook (MC207B/A) is also installed with a GeForce graphics card that enables you to play all sorts of PC games without any hassle. You can also run any high resolution software on it as well. Furthermore, the device is installed with Mac operating system which enhances the overall performance of the device.

The Apple MacBook (MC207B/A) is equipped with a webcam that enables you to video chat without any hassle. Always buy this laptop from an authorised dealer which offers warranty on the product. For best results you must consult the user manual provided with it.

Tags for this article: netbook, macbook, apple macbook

Steve Jobs’ Apple is one of the biggest companies that are engaged in manufacturing a wide range of laptops. The company uses some of the best technology and quality assured components that provides optimum results to the user. The laptop is fitted with some of the best features that provide high speed and long functional life. The laptop is very compact and is very easy to carry and transport. It also has a very clear display that provides breathtaking images.

The Apple Macbook Pro (MC026B/A) is the best laptop August 2009. The device is fitted with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor that provides amazing results. As far as Apple laptops go, the MC026B/A MacBook Pro is clearly one of the best. It possesses a clock speed of around 2,660 Mhz. It is fitted with 4,096 MB that provides superb speed to the processing of the device. The hard disk memory of the device is about 320 GB that enables you to store all the data. It is equipped with a 15 inch wide display that provides amazing picture quality. The resolution of the display is about WXGA+ (1440 x 900). The laptop is also fitted with an nVidia GeForce 9600M GT graphics card that enables you to play all types of PC games. It is installed with Apple MAC OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system.

The laptop is fitted with an inbuilt webcam that enable you to video chat. It also has a Kensington Lock Support that provides total security. The laptop is fitted with an amazing rechargeable battery that provides a long battery back up and a hassle free functional life.

Tags for this article: laptop, Laptops, apple

After the long wait the Apple MacBook Pro (MB990B/A) arrived in the market; craved out from a single block of aluminium that symbolises a true engineering achievement. The presence of the unibody aluminium enclosure provides the Apple MacBook Pro (MB990B/A) with superb durability and style. Apple’s designers and engineers worked thoroughly through every stage of product development to innovate this extremely durable, stylish and high performance machine for day-to-day business.

The Apple MacBook Pro has a breakthrough battery that lasts for up to seven hours on a single charge, and due to the presence advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging, it can also withstand about three times more charge cycles than a conventional laptop battery before it needs to be replaced.

The Apple MacBook Pro offers is enhanced with LED-backlit widescreen display that offers 60% greater colour gamut for richer and more vibrant colours. The seamless glass enclosure makes this display strong and durable. Another quality of the Apple MacBook Pro (MB990B/A) is that the entire track pad is the button, so the user can click anywhere. Without a separate button, the spacious track pad provides plenty of room to move hands on the large, silky glass surface. The user can use two fingers to scroll up and down a page, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with fingertips, swipe with three fingers to flip through photo libraries and swipe with four fingers to show desktop, view all open windows or switch applications. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M brings amazing graphics performance to MacBook Pro, so the user can enjoy their favourite 3D games with fast, seamless game play. Graphics-intensive features in iPhoto and iMovie are smooth and responsive.

Let the Specifications of the Apple MacBook Pro (MB990B/A) speak out for its superiority that revolutionized the industry. The Specifications include:-

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo – 2.26GHz – 3MB level 2 cache
Memory: 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
HD Capacity: 160GB SATA 5400 RPM
Display: 13.3″ widescreen display
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
Optical Drive: 8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Networking: AirPort Extreme (802.11 a/b/g/n), Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Features: iSight Intergrated Web camera, Front Row, iLife, Mini DisplayPort output with support for DVI, Dual-Link DVI, and VGA video
Battery Life:Up to 7 hours of wireless productivity
Installed Software: Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools) / iLife ‘09 (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, iDVD).

With a 13.3 inch display screen, Apple MacBook MB466B/A 13.3 Inch has a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor that can run multiple programmes at once. It has 2GB RAM and a 160 GB Hard Drive that offers ample storage space for all your media, music, files, photos and other items. It has Mac 10.5 Leopard as its operating system. It has been encased in one single solid aluminium body; it is thinner, lighter and stunning. Robust and durable, the computer has been designed to handle the knocks and tumbles with ease and can be easily carried from one place to another.

Compact and thin, the MacBook from Apple is extremely lightweight; it can fit easily in any backpack or briefcase. It uses a graphics processor that economises space. Unlike a traditional computer logic board that contains multiple components, the logic board of this MacBook contains only two components – the CPU and a graphics processor. Also, all of the core logic has been built into a single chip. Seamless design and a gleaming LED-backlit display are highlights of the Apple MacBook MB466B/A. The screen offers full brightness while the aluminium enclosure goes well with a glass overlay that stretches to the edge of the notebook. Moreover, the LED-backlit display is power efficient, mercury-free and arsenic-free. Equipped with GF 9400M Shared Video Memory (UMA), Gigabit Ethernet, WLAN and Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, the computer weighs a mere 2kg. It comes with a one year warranty and has stereo speakers, wireless LAN aerial and Bluetooth aerial as its built-in devices.