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82 '4k' stories December 2011 - February 2015
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Move over 5K iMac, 8K displays are on the way next year

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 10 2015 - 5:42 am PT
22 Comments

8k

The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display may have the highest resolution screen in the world today, but it seems Apple will have to up its game next year if it wants to retain that title: 8K displays are expected to arrive sometime in 2016.

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) has announced Embedded DisplayPort standard version 1.4a, which uses a new compression standard to support higher resolution panels, together with greater color depth and faster refresh rates. The new standard allows manufacturers to pipe around four times as much data to displays to support panels with resolutions of up to 8K.

The standard will also benefit machines with lower-resolution screens by enabling displays to be thinner, and extending battery-life in laptops by reducing the power required to transfer data to them.

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9to5Toys Last Call: iPhone 6/Plus cases from $7, MacBook Air $199 off, Super Bowl HDTV deals, more

Avatar for Jan 22 2015 - 9:00 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsXPZOwx4MI?rel=0]

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Amazon Gold Box – 30% off NuPro iPhone 6/Plus cases: multiple styles/colors from $7 Prime shipped

apple-macbook-air-2014Apple 13.3-inch MacBook Air (newest version) 1.4Ghz/4GB/256GB: $1,000 ($199 off)

Apple 11.6-inch MacBook Air (mid 2013) 1.3GHz/4GB/256GB: $849 shipped (orig. $1,099)

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Supersize your Super Bowl with these HDTV deals

amazon-prime-adWatch Amazon’s hit TV show Transparent for free and save 27% on Prime

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Small States: Paper by FiftyThree pursues the new digital American Dream, multiple giveaways

More new deals:

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More deals still alive:

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New products/ongoing promos/info:

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Review: CalDigit’s Mac hub Thunderbolt Station 2 competes on pricing, size, and build quality

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jan 22 2015 - 6:59 am PT
8 Comments
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Despite USB 3.0’s growing popularity with consumers, Thunderbolt remains a viable alternative for professional users, particularly video makers willing to pay a premium for guaranteed high speeds. Over the past year, several Thunderbolt 2 hubs have come to market — boxes with one Thunderbolt 2 connection to a computer, one for a Thunderbolt accessory, and multiple ports to connect USB, audio, video, and Ethernet accessories. The idea: keep all of your gear hooked up to the hub, then use a single cable to connect it all to your Mac.

Known for large, heavy, professional-grade Mac accessories, CalDigit has just released Thunderbolt Station 2 ($199), which squeezes the same functionality offered by Belkin’s $300 Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock HD and Elgato’s $230 Thunderbolt 2 Dock (review) into a smaller, denser-feeling enclosure, at a lower MSRP — sort of. In reality, Thunderbolt Station 2 has some very specific benefits and one limitation that place it on par with its competitors, making the choice between them a more personal decision…


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9to5Toys Last Call: VIZIO 4K 50″ $800, JBL Lightning speaker/dock $109, 2,400 classic DOS games free, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Jan 6 2015 - 2:32 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Update:

VIZIO-4K-ultra HD-sale-01

VIZIO 50-inch 240Hz Smart LED 4K UHDTV $800 shipped (Reg. $1,000)

JBL OnBeat Venue Lightning-02

JBL OnBeat Venue LT Bluetooth speaker w/ Lightning dock $109 shipped (orig. $240)

The Internet Archive steps up its game by offering nearly 2,400 MS-DOS classic titles for free

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CES 2015:

Samsung portable SSD T1: smaller than a business card + 100 times faster than a traditional HDD
DISH brings Sling TV with ESPN, TNT, TBS and more to a myriad of streaming devices for just $20

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Review: SmartThings offers an open and flexible home automation experience with a few caveats

More new deals:

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More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promos/info:

Shot from SKU: 1294029

Mac Pro monitor review: The best 4K & UHD monitors for Mac

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Dec 23 2014 - 12:00 pm PT
47 Comments
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Check out our updated roundup of the best 4K and 5K displays for Mac for 2016.

So Apple didn’t release a 4K (or 5K) standalone Retina display alongside the new 5K iMac, but you can’t hold off any longer on a shiny new display for your Mac Pro. I found myself in the same predicament not too long ago and decided to put a number of displays to the test in recent months. 4K might offer 4x the resolution of your standard 1080p display, but for the short time they’ve been around, they’ve also cost about 4x as much as the alternatives. The good news: There are a few Mac Pro compatible 4K displays (and UHD alternatives) finally starting to hit more reasonable price points just as recent OS X updates fix some issues early adopters first had with the higher resolution displays.

I’ve been testing Mac Pro compatible displays from Dell, Sharp, Samsung, LG, and others that are officially supported by Apple, and put together a list of my thoughts and top picks for those planning on picking up a new Mac Pro this holiday season. Despite my tests being done mostly on a new, stock Mac Pro, these picks stand for Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook users as well.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Adonit Jot Touch Bluetooth iPad stylus $50, MacBook stickers BOGO, affordable UHDTVs, more

Avatar for Dec 9 2014 - 4:38 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

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Adonit Jot Touch w/ Pixelpoint Bluetooth LE pressure sensitive stylus for iPad $50 (Reg. $100)

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MacBook/iPad stickers (multiple options) Buy One, Get One Free: $4 shipped (Reg. $40)

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Amazon flips the switch on free 4K streaming for Prime members, here are the 4K UHDTVs you want to watch it on

More new deals:

Health on iPhone 6

More deals still alive:

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Holiday Gift Guides:

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New products/ongoing promos:

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Amazon won’t charge extra for 4K content on Prime Instant Video

Avatar for Nov 13 2014 - 4:04 pm PT
5 Comments

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(Update: We may have gotten a bit too excited about this announcement. While Amazon hasn’t officially commented on the matter, you’ll likely need a UHDTV with HEVC decoding to watch Amazon’s 4K offerings.)

Its been said before, but 4K may finally be on the cusp of breaking through. Ultra high-definition TVs from major brands are dropping like crazy and Apple pushed out a 5K iMac just a few months ago. The hardware is there, but the content from a pricing and availability perspective is still lagging behind.

We took a step in the right direction when Netflix began offering 4K content, but quickly took a step back once we found out it came with strings attached.

Fast forward to this week. Amazon has promised there will not be any additional fees for Prime members for streaming 4K content. Before the end of this year anyone with a Prime account and a UHD display/TV will be able to gaze at Alpha House in beautiful 4K without forking over any additional cash. Selection will be extremely limited and filled with Amazon exclusives at first, but more titles will be continually added.

Of course, access to streaming 4K content is in addition to other Prime benefits like free 2-day shipping and unlimited photo storage. Sign up for a free Prime trial or student account.

 

 

‘It’s been way too long’: Apple sends out invites for Thursday, October 16th iPad & Mac event

Avatar for Mark Gurman Oct 8 2014 - 9:02 am PT
69 Comments
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Screenshot 2014-10-08 12.01.58

It’s happening: Apple has just announced a keynote address for Thursday, October 16th to take place at the Town Hall auditorium on its Infinite Loop Campus in Cupertino, California. Invitations to select members of the media and special guests indicate that the event will, as always, begin at 10 AM Pacific time/1 PM Eastern Time. News of the October 16th date broke last week. We’ll be providing full, live coverage on 9to5Mac.com of the event’s proceedings. Here’s everything we’re expecting Apple to discuss at the event:


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New reversible USB Type C (rumored for 12-inch MacBook) will offer full DisplayPort functionality

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 22 2014 - 7:44 am PT
7 Comments
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The next-generation USB “Type C” standard that became available to manufacturers last month will also offer a “DisplayPort Alternate Mode”, enabling the new USB cables to “deliver full DisplayPort audio/video (A/V) performance, driving monitor resolutions of 4K and beyond, SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1) data and up to 100 watts of power–over a single cable.” That means new USB cables that adopt the new slimmer Type-3 standard can essentially also work as a full-fledged DisplayPort cable. The announcement was made today by The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), which worked with the USB 3.0 Promoter Group to offer the functionality:
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DisplayPort 1.3 announced w/ support for upcoming 5K displays, enhanced 4K performance

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 15 2014 - 7:23 am PT
10 Comments
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The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) announced today that it’s introducing the latest DisplayPort technology that brings support for upcoming 5K monitors and more. DisplayPort 1.3 for audio and video increases the standard to a maximum link bandwidth of 32.4 Gbps and as a result supports 5K displays with resolutions of 5120 x 2880 on a single cable without compression methods. In addition, users will notice enhanced performance for 4K displays in multi-monitor setups over a single DisplayPort connection:
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OS X Yosemite planned for late Oct. as Apple preps 4K desktop & 12-inch Retina MacBook

Avatar for Mark Gurman Jul 23 2014 - 10:16 am PT
27 Comments
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macs

While iOS 8 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch is set for a September launch, Apple is planning to bring its next-generation Mac software, OS X Yosemite, into the wild a month later, in October, according to several sources. Apple plans to continue releasing OS X Yosemite Developer Previews every two to three weeks until a final Developer Preview is seeded on September 29th, according to the people. Apple is then expected to finish up work on Yosemite in early October and release a golden master build around October 10th, the sources said. Apple is also finishing up preparations to release a version of OS X Yosemite beta tomorrow to the first one million people who signed up for the public beta.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Kensington iPad Air keyboard case $16, iTunes albums $8 each, 3-pack wireless outlets $17, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Jul 15 2014 - 9:30 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

samsung-28-inch-UHD-U28D590D

Samsung 28-inch 4K UHD LED 60Hz Monitor $540 shipped (Reg. $700)

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Slingbox Pro HD TV Streamer refurb $60 (Orig. $200), Slingbox 350 $100 shipped (Reg. $180)

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Kindle Paperwhite e-reader w/ built-in light (cert. refurb) $85 shipped (Reg. $119 new)

Other new deals:

More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promotions:

Android/Microsoft deals:

Review: Samsung’s U28D590D 28-inch 4k monitor finally brings quality 4k at an affordable price

Avatar for Chance Miller Jun 13 2014 - 6:52 am PT
55 Comments
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Ever since the Mac Pro was released in December, we’ve faced an onslaught of 4k displays. We reviewed Seiki’s budget offering last year, and while we liked it overall, it did have more than its fair share of set backs. For instance, you could only use the full 4k resolution at 30Hz, which meant that there would be noticeable lag when using the display as a monitor. Despite the low refresh rate, the display was still a great deal at its then $450 price point (now down to $390) and truly got us excited for the potential of 4k. At CES this year, we also saw a variety of 4k displays, some of which were priced for budget-minded customers, and some of which were high-end. Noticeably missing from CES, however, was Apple’s frenemy supplier/competitor Samsung.

Samsung, at the end of May, unveiled its take on an affordable 4k display. Samsung’s U28D590D is a 28-inch 4k monitor that supports full 4k resolution at 60Hz via a DisplayPort 1.2 connection. There are also two HDMI ports, but they’ll only do 4k at 30Hz, like the Seiki. The big selling point of the Samsung monitor, aside from doing 4k at 60Hz, is that it costs just $646 on Amazon. This puts it far below any currently available 4k monitor with 60Hz capabilities. I purchased the Samsung U28D590D on Amazon while it was priced at $666 and have been using it as my primary display for the past week. How does it compare to the Seiki? Is 4k all it’s hyped up to be? Let’s discuss.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Jawbone UP $80, Backblaze online backup 50% off, iPad mini $240, WD 3TB external HDD $94, more

Avatar for Jun 3 2014 - 10:09 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:


9to5Toys Specials:

  • 1-year of Backblaze online backup storage (PC/Mac) for $25 (Reg. $50) – ends in 3 days
  • Scrivener 2: Winner – Best of the Mac App Store $20 (Reg. $45) – ends in 11 days
  • PasswordBox Unlimited Subscription $9.99 (Reg. $72) – ends in 2 days

apple-ipad-mini-16gb-wi-fi-7-922-display-led-backlit-multi-touch-tablet-1st-gen1Apple iPad Mini 16GB Wi-Fi (1st gen) $240 shipped (Reg. $299)

wd-3-tb-elements-external-desktop-hard-drive-sale-01Western Digital Elements 3TB external desktop drive: $94 shipped (Reg. $150)

 

 

bond-skyfall-collection-blu-rayBond 50 Blu-ray collection $74, Breaking Bad Complete BR $130, Jack White First Play, more

seiki-se39uy04-39e2809d-class-4k-ultra-hd-120hz-led-tv-sale-01Seiki 39-inch 4K Class Ultra HDTV w/ HDMI: $400 shipped (Reg. $700)

Other new deals:

More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Giveaways presented by SlickWraps: Apple TV, $100 iTunes gift card, $50 SlickWraps gift card, more

The above contest is now over, congratulations to our winners: @Jemarch86, @austinkeith and @robertburnspr – stay tuned for more great giveaways…

Microsoft/Google/Android:

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9to5Toys Last Call: free Amazon credit w/ Sonos, Netatmo iOS weather station $150, Seiki 39″ 4K $400, more

Avatar for Jun 2 2014 - 3:00 pm PT
2 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

sonos-play-3Get a $50 Amazon credit and 6 months of Google Play w/ a Sonos PLAY:3 or PLAY:5

netatmo-weather-ios

Netatmo Weather Station for iOS and Android Devices $150 shipped (Reg. $179)

seiki-se39uy04-39e2809d-class-4k-ultra-hd-120hz-led-tv-sale-01Seiki 39-inch 4K Class Ultra HDTV w/ HDMI: $400 shipped (Reg. $700)


Other new deals:

  • New! Bluetooth Speakers: Sony Portable NFC system: $98 shipped (Reg. $150), more
  • New! Games/Apps: Diablo 3 $20, up to 66% off Batman Arkham (Mac), iOS freebies, more
  • New! LifeProof frē water/shock proof case cover for iPad Air: $66 shipped (Reg. $110)
  • New! iPad Deals: iPad Air 64GB WiFi $580 (Reg. $699), free $50 gift card w/ iPad Air, more
  • New! Up to 30% off MacPaw apps: Gemini, Hider 2, CleanMyMac, more
  • New! Printers: Canon Portable w/ AirPrint $75 (Reg. $100), HP All-in-One $230 (Reg. $300)
  • New! Daily Deals: Beats by Dre Solo Headphones: $80, Pioneer 4K Receiver: $250, more
  • New! More than 50% off select ‘Scroogled’ apparel


More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Giveaways presented by SlickWraps: Apple TV, $100 iTunes gift card, $50 SlickWraps gift card, more

The above contest is now over, congratulations to our winners: @Jemarch86, @austinkeith and @robertburnspr – stay tuned for more great giveaways…

Microsoft/Google/Android:

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9to5Toys Last Call: Samsung 28″ 4K monitor $600, free $5 audible credit, PNY 128GB USB3 flash drive $43, more

Avatar for Apr 21 2014 - 10:02 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

samsung-28-inch-UHD-U28D590DSamsung 28-inch 4K UHD LED 60Hz Monitor $600 shipped (Reg. $699)

audible-free-deal

Audible $5 audio book credit for free

pny-128gb-usb-3-0PNY 128GB Turbo USB 3.0 Flash Drive $43 shipped (Reg. $70)

itunes-gift-card-deal$100 iTunes gift card for $85: Save 15% on future apps, music, movies, more

vizio-1080p-120hz-smart-led-hdtvVizio 40″ 120Hz 1080p LED LCD HDTV + $200 Dell GC for $500 shipped


Other deals from today:


More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Opinion: Will the spring launch of Amazon/Nexus/Apple TV signal the beginning of the end of live, broadcast TV?

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 21 2014 - 8:01 am PT
32 Comments
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tv

Streaming TV is heating-up. We’re expecting a new Apple TV box to be announced in April, Amazon looks set to launch its own box in March and Google is reputed to be not far behind with a Nexus-branded box.

So-called cord-cutting – people who give up their cable TV subscriptions in favor of streaming content over the web – is growing in popularity. Mobile TV viewing on tablets is increasingly common.

All of which makes me wonder whether we’re witnessing the beginning of the end of live TV … ? 
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9to5Toys Last Call: Dell 28″ 4K display $560, Brother Laser Multi-Fuction Copier $86, Coboc 6′ MFi Lightning cable $10, more

Avatar for Feb 17 2014 - 10:06 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals: 

Last Call updates:


dell-28-4kDell 28-inch Ultra HD P2815Q 4K display: $560 shipped

brother-laser-printer-copier-dealBrother Printer Monochrome Laser Multi-Function Copier $86 shipped (Reg. $180)

google-chromecast-deal-9to5toysGoogle Chromecast streaming media player $30 w/ free shipping (Reg. $35)

itunes-gift-card-dealFree Apple media: $100 iTunes Gift card for $85 at Best Buy


Other great deals from today (and weekend leftovers):

More great deals still alive:

New products:

CES 2014: New era of inexpensive 4K monitors from Asus, Dell, Lenovo and Seiki ushered in

Avatar for Chance Miller Jan 6 2014 - 2:08 pm PT
13 Comments
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With the new Mac Pro capable of powering three 4k displays, new MacBook Pros with Thunderbolt 2 and 4K HDMI 1.4 in many hands and Apple taking its sweet time to release its own monitor, an affordable 4k display is something many people are searching out right now. ASUS, at the Consumer Electronics Show, has just unveiled a new 28-inch 4k monitor that will retail for just $799. Currently, ASUS’ 31.5-inch 4k offering comes in at over $3,000, and while the price difference between the two is major, there doesn’t appear to be a gap in features (via Engadget).

ASUS’s 28-inch 4k monitor will pack a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, just like its larger sibling. As far as ports go, we’re looking at one DisplayPort and one MHL-capable HDMI port. The monitor has a fully rotatable design, as well as a quick 1ms response time.


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New Retina MacBook Pros can drive 4K displays at 60Hz – when running Windows, Mac OS needs new drivers

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 23 2013 - 5:51 am PT
20 Comments
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4kok

Tests by French site Mac4Ever.com found that current model Retina MacBook Pro machines can use their Thunderbolt 2 connections to drive the Sharp PN-K321 4K display at 60Hz when running Windows 8.1 with the latest NVidia drivers, rather than the 30Hz possible with OS X. This suggests that OS X will be able to do the same when Apple updates the rMBP video/Thunderbolt 2 drivers.

While 30Hz is good enough for movies, our own Seth Weintraub found on his bargain Seiki that it gives a poor experience when scrolling webpages, and is of course completely unusable for games. 60Hz, in contrast, gives a smooth experience when using a computer. The mystery had been why the latest Retina MacBook Pros, with Thunderbolt 2 support, were limited to 30Hz when the specs should have made them capable of double this – and the video drivers appear to be the answer …


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: 50% off AT&T iPhone 5s/5c, OtterBox Armor Series iPhone 5 case 75% off, more

Avatar for Nov 15 2013 - 11:59 pm PT
3 Comments

Take a few minutes out of your lunch to cash in on some incredible deals. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+

Today’s can’t miss deals:

iphone-5s-deal-at&t-9to5toys50% Off Popular AT&T Smartphones: iPhone 5s $100, 5c $50, more

otterbox-iphone-5-armor-series-9to5toysSOLD OUTOtterBox Armor Waterproof Case for iPhone 5/5s in Arctic/Orange/Neon: $25 shipped (75% off)

logitech-ipad-keyboard-giveaway-9to5toys

Giveaway: Logitech Bluetooth iPad keyboard and stand combo ($70 value)

livingsocial-incase-deal-9to5toysFree voucher to save 50% on Apple accessories from Incase

SEIKI DIGITAL, INC. 55-INCH ULTRA HD TV SEARSSeiki’s new 55″ 4K UHD TV will drop to $850 on Black Friday ($650 off!) or 39″ for $520 right now at Amazon.

PNY-storedge-128GB-64GB-dealPNY StorEDGE flash memory expansion for MacBooks: 64GB $40

The best deals that are still alive:

Black Friday:

New product announcements & reviews:

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Putting 4K and the iPad mini Retina display into perspective

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Oct 30 2013 - 2:05 pm PT
9 Comments

Curious how the resolution of Apple’s new Retina iPad mini compares to your devices of the past and the 4K and even 8K displays that will soon become standard resolutions? DoghouseDiaries put together the graphic below that shows relative screen resolutions, comparing everything from a Retina iPad mini to an Apple II and future 3840 × 2160 4K displays just beginning to hit the market:

Screen-resolutions

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