MacBook Air

700 'MacBook Air' stories October 2010 - August 2014

In 2008 Steve Jobs introduced the first ultra-thin, lightweight MacBook Air by dramatically sliding it out of an inter-office envelope. The idea of a dramatically thin, lightweight, and fully functional laptop continues on.

The MacBook Air is “the default Mac” – the one you should buy if you’re not sure which model you need.

History
MacBook Air Specs
Pricing
MacBook Air Review

History

The MacBook Air was launched in 2008 as a premium 13-inch model, billed as the world’s thinnest laptop. It was dramatically revealed by Steve Jobs sliding it out of an office envelope.

In 2010, it was joined by an 11-inch model. By 2011, that had become the entry-level MacBook, replacing the plain MacBook in the lineup. Its combination of affordability, portability, cuteness, and suitability for most people’s computer usage saw it become a hugely popular machine with everyone from students to senior business execs.

The 11-inch MacBook Air was discontinued in 2016, leaving only the 13-inch models.

In 2018, we saw the first major update to the then-elderly design. This gave the machine a Retina display, Touch ID, USB-C ports along with a design refresh with smaller bezels, a slimmer form factor, and lighter weight.

In 2020, the MacBook Air was one of the first three machines to make the switch from Intel processors to Apple Silicon in the form of the M1 chip. In 2022, it was joined by an M2 model.

MacBook Air Specs

The 2020 M1 MacBook Air is powered by an 8-core Apple M1 chip, comprising four performance cores and four efficiency cores. It’s available in two almost-identical versions, one with an 8-core GPU, the other with a (chip-binned) 7-core one. The machine is available with either 8GB or 16GB of unified memory. SSD storage options are 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB.

The 2022 M2 MacBook Air has a 10-core GPU option, up to 24GB of unified memory, and up to 2TB of SSD storage.

Pricing

M1 MacBook Air (2020) pricing starts at $999 for the 7-core GPU with 8GB unified memory and 256GB SSD.

M2 MacBook Air (2022) pricing starts at $1199 for the 8-core GPU with 8GB unified memory and 256GB SSD.

The machine can be specced up as far as 16GB unified memory and 2TB SSD for $2,049.

Lower prices may be available from Apple’s official Amazon store.

MacBook Air Review

In our video review of the machine, we described it as game-changing.

There is very little negative to say about these MacBooks. Apple has taken a design like the MacBook Air, which it more or less perfected with the early 2020 refresh, and made it 10 times better. This is no hyperbole. These M1-powered MacBooks are such a huge improvement in performance and battery life with virtually no negative baggage. I can’t see myself ever wanting to go back to an Intel-based laptop […]
If I was using an Intel-based MacBook Air, I wouldn’t even consider using a machine with such little memory to handle my day-to-day creative workflow, but Apple’s implementation of unified memory cannot be compared 1:1 with typical RAM configurations.
Basic day-to-day usage is relatively unaffected by the amount of RAM, or lack thereof. The MacBook Air is competent with only 8GB of RAM even when running lots of apps simultaneously, even with a dozen Safari windows, and even when swapping out to the SSD […]
I can attest to the fact that these MacBooks have incredibly long battery life, so much so that it was honestly hard to believe initially. I was able to use my MacBook Air for a full workday, writing, browsing the web, chatting on zoom, and editing video and photos, and the machine was only at 50% by the end of the day. I woke up the next day, and did several hours of zoom video calls and web browsing, and the machine finally gave me a warning to plug in when it reached 10%

PARC scientist retells story of Jobs at Xerox: ‘You’re sitting on a gold mine!’ (Video)

Benjamin Mayo Aug 24 2014 - 11:11 am PT

12 Comments

Fortune has flagged up a video from 2011 of an eyewitness retelling how Jobs behaved and interacted when seeing Xerox’s PARC revolutionary graphical user interface inventions for the first time. Although the video is old, it seems to have gone largely unnoticed until this week and features some interesting anecdotes about the events.

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Refurbished 2014 MacBook Air models now available in Apple Online Store

Benjamin Mayo Aug 22 2014 - 10:14 am PT

6 Comments

Apple has recently added the 2014 MacBook Air to the refurbished section of the Apple Online Store. Currently, the 1.4 GHz Intel Core i5 11-inch MacBook Air is available in two configurations priced at $769 and $929, with 128 GB and 256 GB SSD’s respectively. 13-inch Air’s have also been in the store at various times in the last couple of days, so should return once Apple replenishes their refurbished inventory. These reduced prices are equivalent to around 15% savings in comparison new models from Apple’s site. The products were added two days ago, and have been lapsing in and out of stock constantly, so — like much of Apple’s refurbished offerings — quantities are obviously limited.

The 2014 MacBook Air’s were originally released in April, featuring new Haswell processors. As usual, Apple’s refurbished offerings come with new 1-year warranties and are subject to Apple’s normal refurbishment processes.

Although the price savings are significant when compared to Apple’s current MSRP for the machines, we’ve tracked better prices for brand new models from Best Buy on several occasions, and even eBay Daily Deals.

Need a new MacBook Air now? You can pickup the 13-inch (MD760LL/B) model for $749.99 if you have access to a .edu email address. That’s $250 below retail.

9to5Toys Last Call: Automatic driving assistant for iOS $80, Belkin iPad Air keyboard case $37, LG 50″ LED HDTV $450, more

Aug 11 2014 - 9:00 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:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AyXNeRbpRk?rel=0]

GeckoEye is a mini solar powered surveillance cam that can be mounted “anywhere”
Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant for iOS $80 shipped (Reg. $100)
Belkin QODE Keyboard Cases: iPad Air $37 (Reg. $80), iPad 4 $40 (Reg. $70), more
HDTVs: LG 50″ 1080p: $450 (Orig. $800), Seiki 65″ 4K: $999 (Reg. $2000), more
Blue Microphones Yeti USB condenser mic (silver) $75 shipped (Reg. $98+)
ThinkGeek 20% off sitewide with no minimum purchase
MEElectronics Air-Fi Metro2 AF72 Bluetooth in-ear headphones $60 (Reg. up to $100)

Philips Syntia Cappuccino Machine: $400 shippedhttp://t.co/pLz4eAIgT3

4/5 Amazon Reviews https://t.co/1YBdk5ON1Y pic.twitter.com/dNy2ooS7rw

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) August 11, 2014

iPad deals:

iPad Air from $399 ($100 off)
iPad mini w/ Retina display from $350 ($50 off) or from $300 w/ .edu ($100 off)

MacBook Air deals:

New 13.3-inch MacBook Air 4GB/128GB: $750 w/.EDU email ($250 off/$850 w/o)
Apple 13.3-inch MacBook Air 1.3GHz Haswell/4GB RAM/256GB SSD: $949 (orig. $1,299)

Get a free Redbox game and movie rental

Receive 30% off 3 books purchased at Amazon. Enter "BUY3GET30" at checkout (up to $10 total savings) http://t.co/YzD35mV23B

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) August 9, 2014

Other new deals:

TuneUp: Clean, Artwork up, de-dupe & Organize Your iTunes Music Collection: $20 (60% off)https://t.co/UiiDdl56nY pic.twitter.com/bKwfIBcIdm

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) August 9, 2014

New! Mountek nGroove Snap 2 car mount for smartphones & tablets $19 (orig. $40)
New! Games/Apps: CARROT Alarm FREE, Turtle Beach headsets $35+, iOS freebies, more
New! Daily Deals: Mophie iPhone Juice Pack: $39, 4′ MFi Lightning cable: $8, more
New! Urge Basics Sound Brick Bluetooth speaker $30 (Reg. up to $70)
New! Home Deals: Up to 50% off name brand vacuums, up to 70% off at JCPenney, more
New! Lenovo IdeaPad 11.6-Inch Touchscreen Chromebook $300 shipped (Reg. $330+)

Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant for iOS/Android $90 shipped (Reg. $100) http://t.co/ioFlCLTeEw http://t.co/Qk78i7VuwU

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) August 11, 2014

More tech deals still alive:

MEElectronics Air-Fi Runaway AF32 Bluetooth Headphones: $40 shipped (orig. $100)
Case Logic Anthracite Berkley 14″ laptop & tablet backpack $22 shipped (orig. $60)
Monitors: Dell 21.5″ $115 (orig. $200), LG 23″ w/ HDMI $125 (orig. $200)
JBL SB 300 2.1-channel soundbar w/ 150-watt sub $199 shipped (orig. $500), more
Sony Bluetooth NFC Wireless Portable Speaker (refurb) $55 shipped (orig. $199), more
Logitech Accessories: UE 4000 ‘phones $18, iPad keyboard Cases, more
Anki Drive Starter Kit, iOS-controlled killer robot car racing game $150 (Reg. $200)
LifeProof nüüd drop/waterproof iPad mini case $30 shipped (orig. $120)
Clear tasks and reminders app up to 60% off: Mac $5 (Reg. $10), iOS $2 (Reg. $5)
TP-LINK AV600 Gigabit Powerline Adapter Starter Kit $60 shipped (Reg. $95)
APC back-up power supply deals: up to 50% off top-rated products
Aduro MFi certified Lightning cables (multiple colors): 3-feet $8, 6-feet $11, 10-feet $13

Home/fashion/sports:

Reebok Back to School coupon: take $25 off orders of $90 or more (up to 28% savings)
Fashion: Kenneth Cole men’s suits $100 (orig. $350), extra 30-50% off Lucky Brand, more
Timbuk2 Spin Messenger Bag $28 shipped (Reg. $69)
Home Deals: Black & Decker Lithium handheld vac $68 (Reg. $80), much more

New products/ongoing promos:

Jabra Stealth Bluetooth headset goes next level with Siri and Google Now control
1Password app sale: iOS $9.99 (Reg. $19), Mac $34.99 (Reg. $50)
Target appears likely to reboot its $199 iPad mini sale later this month
Sketchbook painting and drawing apps for iPhone and iPad go free for the first time ever
Timex introduces its ‘no phone required’ Ironman GPS One+ smartwatch
Navdy HUD may finally make it safe to tweet and drive, save 40% when you preorder
Notifyr app goes free (Reg. $4), receive iOS notifications on your Mac
IK Multimedia launches the new iRig Mic HD for iOS and Mac/PC
IGN makes Telltale’s The Walking Dead: Season 2 its free iOS game of the month

Android/Microsoft/misc tech:

Google Play Summer Sale up to 85% off: Deus Ex, Gangstar Vegas, Final Fantasy, more
Acer 11.6-inch C720 Chromebook (Refurb) $130 shipped (Reg. $199 new)
Samsung Galaxy Battery Clearance on Amazon, prices start at $6 Prime shipped
HP Chromebox CB1 desktop computer $150 shipped (Reg. $180)
Google Chromecast streaming media player $30 shipped (Reg. $35)

Microsoft no longer dissing the iPad in Surface ads, now dissing the MacBook Air

Ben Lovejoy Aug 11 2014 - 4:17 am PT

91 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfpULoEZIHk]

Oh dear. Just when we thought Microsoft might have gotten over its misleading Surface tablet ads attacking the iPad (and iPad mini), it has run three new ones, each attacking the MacBook Air (the other two are shown below the fold).

Microsoft’s decision to go on the offensive is perhaps understandable: while Apple can run a MacBook Air ad simply observing that it’s “the notebook people love,” poor sales of the Surface despite high marketing costs have so far resulted in Microsoft losing $1.7B on the device …
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Chinese government’s war on Apple escalates as it bans govt purchases

Ben Lovejoy Aug 6 2014 - 5:08 am PT

24 Comments

After a Chinese state-run TV channel last month described the iPhone as a “national security concern” (a claim Apple denied), Bloomberg reports that the Chinese government has stepped up its war on Apple by removing the company’s products from its procurement lists.

Ten Apple products — including the iPad, iPad Mini, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro — were omitted from a final government procurement list distributed in July, according to officials who read it and asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. The models were on a June version of the list drafted by the National Development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Finance, the officials said …

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Review: Inateck’s felt sleeve for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro and 11-inch MacBook Air

Michael Steeber Aug 4 2014 - 5:40 pm PT

1 Comment

MacBook sleeves and bags are practically a commodity today, with a wide variety of options and styles available for purchase at almost all online and offline retailers, and for good reason. Even as Apple’s portable computers trend towards lighter and more durable designs, a practical carrying case is still essential for any kind of travel. I’ve been using Inateck’s felt sleeve style MacBook cover for the past several weeks- a durable, unobtrusive, and light way to protect a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro or 11-inch MacBook Air. Let’s take a closer look at the product.

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Make OS X Yosemite’s dark mode turn on automatically with this neat utility

Benjamin Mayo Aug 4 2014 - 4:39 am PT

25 Comments

Although OS X Yosemite is still a few months out from public release, the public beta and developer seeds means the OS is already seeing wide adoption — hence, apps for Yosemite are already starting to surface. In fact, the unreleased OS already makes up 18% of Mac users on 9to5Mac, already the second most popular version of OS X.

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Apple re-releases MacBook Air EFI 2.9 update after bugs discovered

Mark Gurman Jul 30 2014 - 12:56 pm PT

0 Comments

Earlier this month, Apple released a MacBook Air EFI update (version 2.9) with fixes for issues with the laptop waking from sleep. Approximately a week ago, the firmware update was removed by Apple because of bugs causing MacBook Airs to crash.

Today, Apple has re-released the update with fixes as version 2.9.1:

This update replaces EFI Firmware Update 2.9 and is recommended for MacBook Air (Mid 2011) models.

The update can be found for mid-2011 MacBook Air owners in the Software Update section of the Mac App Store.

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How-to: Use Spotlight and Smart Folders to search for anything on your Mac

Jul 27 2014 - 3:30 am PT

13 Comments

In OS X, Spotlight is an effective way to search your entire hard drive for a file or folder, email, or any other file. There are many other things Spotlight can do, and searching for files is just one of them. Spotlight is also capable of looking up dictionary definitions, launching apps, performing calculations, previewing audio, video, documents, and other files. This article will outline some of the benefits of using Spotlight and how to use Smart Folders, which allow you to search for a file even if you don’t know its name.

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Apple releases OS X Yosemite Public Beta

Benjamin Mayo Jul 24 2014 - 9:19 am PT

140 Comments

Apple has started sending out OS X Yosemite builds for Beta Program, as announced yesterday. The build is being sent out to a million Beta Program members. Participants can get a redemption code from the site, to redeem in the Mac App Store.

Apple has said that Apple will not update the Beta Program Yosemite builds as often as the developer seeds (which come out every two weeks, usually), but participants will be able to upgrade to the final public version of Yosemite seamlessly through the App Store, when it is released. The seed released in the beta program is one build newer than the one released to developers on Monday.

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Opinion: Will the iPad be left behind in the shift to larger iPhones?

Ben Lovejoy Jul 23 2014 - 7:30 am PT

63 Comments

With Apple reporting lower-than-expected iPad sales for the second quarter in a row, it’s likely that Tim Cook will be once again be called on to reassure investors that the decline in year-on-year sales won’t continue indefinitely.

Cook has been very bullish on the iPad, despite the numbers, pointing especially to growing sales in the education sector and the opportunity for tablet growth in enterprise.

The penetration in business is low, it’s only 20 percent. If you looked at the penetration of notebooks in business it would be over 60 percent. We think there is a substantial upside in business.”

I think he’s right, especially with the IBM partnership. I mentioned in my opinion piece then that increasing penetration in enterprise could also help drive consumer migration from Android, as it gives people exposure to iOS devices. But the impact this has could well be offset by the iPhone 6 …
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Last week’s MacBook Air firmware update reportedly failing to install for some, leaving users with bricked machines

Mike Beasley Jul 22 2014 - 4:31 pm PT

7 Comments

Apple released an EFI firmware update (version 2.9) for the mid-2011 MacBook Air last week to address problems the computer could have while waking from sleep, but recently users have started to report on the company’s support forum that the software was failing to install on their machines, and in some cases leaving them with completely non-functional computers, as first noted by MacRumors.

While some users report that their MacBook Airs shut down for several hours only to suddenly spring back to life, others claim that their machines still won’t startup. In other cases, users are finding that the Mac App Store prompts them to re-install the update over and over. So far there aren’t any reports of a successful resolution to the issue, even through AppleCare channels.

If you haven’t already installed the update, it may be best to sit this one out until Apple has fixed whatever problem seems to be plaguing users at the moment.

9to5Toys Last Call: MacBook Air up to $250 off w/ .edu, MacBook Pro 15″ $300 off, Eric Clapton free iTunes stream, more

Jul 22 2014 - 9:34 am PT

3 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:

Last Call updates:

Media: Man of Steel Blu-ray set w/ figurine $15, Eric Clapton free iTunes First Play, American Hustle $10, more
New and upcoming Bluetooth speakers: Denon HEOS, Scosche boomBOTTLE black & Fugoo +Sport
Logitech Harmony remotes & keyboards now work together to create the ultimate home theater experience
Google Nexus 7 2nd gen 32GB unlocked LTE (Refurb) $220 shipped (orig. $350 new)

Save up to $250 on current gen. MacBook Airs w/ .edu email, 13-inch from $750, more

Belkin charge & sync iPhone dock w/ built-in Lightning cable $19 Prime shipped (Reg. $35) (price bumped up slightly at 2:15pm)

Apple deals:

MacBook Pro w/ Retina display (ME293LL/A) for $1,699.99 shipped (Reg. $1,999.00)
iPad mini 32GB WiFi for $279 shipped (orig. $429)
Airport wireless routers (Refurb): Express $60 (Reg. $99 new), Extreme $120 (Reg. $199)
$100 iTunes Gift Card for $85: Save 15% on apps, movies, music, books, more

Other new deals:

New! Daily Deals: Kindle Fire 7″ HDX 4G: $229, more
New! Seiki Retro 1080P HDTV w/Yamaha 20W: $100 shipped (75% off)
New! Monitors: LG 24″ Widescreen $140 (orig. $249), Acer 27″ G6 Series $180 (Reg. $220+)
New! Timbuk2 Large 25-inch Aviator Wheeled Backpack $99 shipped (Reg. $200)
New! Home: Bissell Sweepers from $20, Worx cordless trimmer $100, kitchen items, more
New! Enercell Dual-USB 3.1A: Auto Charger + USB Travel Wall Charger $6 shipped
New! Games/Apps: BioShock Triple Pack $11 (Reg. $60), Trine $2 (Reg. $10), freebies, more
New! One year magazine subs: Macworld $7.50, Bloomberg Businessweek $15, more

GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition $330 shipped (Reg. $400) http://t.co/Kq4cFuU48h pic.twitter.com/WL51CAoNzi

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 22, 2014

More deals still alive:

Save an extra 25-30% at Canon refurb store: T3 w/ Lens $252, T3i w/ lens $336, SL1 $360, more
SOUL Volt Bluetooth On-Ear Headphones w/dual Mics: $23 shipped (85% off)
Blue Condenser Mics: Nessie $59 (Reg. $100), Yeti Pro $168 (Reg. $200+)
Power banks: Lepow 6000mAh $16 (Reg. $60), more
Gift cards/in-store credit: Sports Authority $20 for $10, more
11.6″ Acer Chromebook 1.4 GHz/2GB RAM/16GB SSD $179 shipped (Reg. $199)
Routers: Linksys Dual-Band refurb $35 (Reg. $80), HooToo Repeater $20 (Reg. $50), more
Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter $30 shipped (Reg. $40)
RAVPower Bolt 30W/6A 4 Port USB Wall Charger: $13 Prime shipped
Mpow Dual USB Portable Car Charger $8 Prime Shipped
Belkin Thunderstorm iPad Theater: Lightning or 30-pin $50 shipped (orig. $200)
Fashion: Nordstrom Sale yields significant savings on Lacoste, Under Armour, more
External USB Batteries: OXA 10,000mAh $20, RAVPower 5,600mAh: $16
Staples offers 20% off in-store purchases (15% off technology items)
Lenmar Adjustable Battery Charger w/ LCD $8, 8-pack of AA Rechargeable Batteries $13
Logitech Ultrathin iPad Air Keyboard Folio in Navy (refurb) $30 shipped (Reg. $78+ new)
Home Deals: Bissell Cordless Vacuum $49, Cuisinart espresso maker (refurb) $69, more
Smart 48″ 1080p HDTVs: Samsung 120Hz: $600, Sony w/ Free movies: $618
Mac graphics editing app Pixelmator drops to $16, down from $30
Sporting Goods: Callaway X2 Driver $160 (Reg. $330), Dick’s 40% off clearance, more
TP-LINK wireless USB-powered 150Mpbs travel router $15 shipped (orig. $50)
4K Displays: Dell 28″ LED: $405 (Reg. $700), Seiki 39″ 120Hz TV: $339 (Reg. $699)
JBL OnBeat Venue Wireless Lightning speaker $80 Refurb, $110 new (Reg. $200)

New products/ongoing promotions:

Jump into the world of LED light bulbs for less than $5 a pop with Ikea Ledare
Verizon FiOS goes symmetrical, upload speeds now same rate as downloads at same cost
Save 30% on an AppleCare Protection Plan for your 13 or 15-inch MacBook
ZTE’s new LivePro is the first Android-powered projector and hotspot
Nyko’s latest Power Pak doubles the battery life of a DualShock 4 controller
SlingBox M1 and SlingTV debut alongside free PC/Mac desktop app
Raspberry Pi B+ microcomputer available w/ enhancements, same $35 price tag
Smart Home:
- Free Philips Hue personal wireless lightning bulb ($60 value) w/ purchase of Philips Hue pack
- $25 off the Wink Hub w/ one accessory purchase or $49 off w/ two accessory purchases
Woot founder’s new daily deal website ‘Meh’ officially opens its doors today
Save 25% on Nomad’s new carabiner, key & credit card sized MFi Lightning cables

Amazon’s unlimited ebook and audiobook subscription service finally goes live in the U.S., try it free http://t.co/M9q7crx7bl

— 9to5Google (@9to5Google) July 18, 2014

Apple airing cool new MacBook Air TV ad: ‘the notebook people love’

Mark Gurman Jul 21 2014 - 4:05 pm PT

45 Comments

Apple has begun airing a new television advertisement for the MacBook Air that promotes the computer as “the notebook people love.” The ad demonstrates various personal connections to the MacBook Air via various stickers for the computer’s lid. Some stickers range from one of Homer Simpson holding the Apple logo, one with Snow White, and various cool black and white graphics. Apple last updated the MacBook Air earlier this year with improved processors and lower pricing, and significant updates to the line are expected this fall. Apple has also posted a new webpage to promote the ad and the stickers shown within the ad.

You can watch the ad below:

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12-inch Retina MacBook now expected in late Q3 or 2015 as new 11 & 13-inch Airs enter production

Mark Gurman Jul 18 2014 - 5:42 pm PT

22 Comments

Apple’s upcoming redesigned 12-inch MacBook with a Retina display is expected to ship later than expected and new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models have gone into production, according to a pair of reports from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News. The first report says that updates to both current MacBook Air sizes have entered production with Apple partner Quanta Computer, and that the new computers will boost Quanta’s 2014 notebook shipment numbers by 15%. The new devices are said to sport new chassis, screens, and chipsets, and volume shipments are due in late-August barring any unforeseen component delays.

Speaking of part delays, Apple’s illusive 12-inch MacBook with Retina display is now expected to ship as early as the end of Q3 2014 or as late as early 2015. The computer was initially reported by multiple analysts and publications to hit the marketplace sometime in the earlier part of the third quarter. Why the apparent delay? Intel. According to the report, the new MacBook’s launch is glued to Intel’s power and performance-efficient 14-nanometer Broadwell part, and as we’ve heard multiple times, those chipsets will be short in supply into next year. Regardless, Apple has shown an ability to stock up on Intel’s latest chips months before the competition, so perhaps Apple will be able to avoid this reported delay…

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9to5Toys Lunch Break: iPad Air from $400, Pixelmator Mac app $16, Samsung EVO 1TB SSD $400, more

Justin Kahn Jul 16 2014 - 9:30 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 Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Apple Deals:

iPad Air 16GB WiFi $400 (Reg. $499)
iPad mini 64GB WiFi + LTE (vzw or AT&T) $350 (orig. $659)
iPad Air 32GB WiFi (Space Gray or Silver) $490 shipped (Reg. $599)

Mac graphics editing app Pixelmator drops to $16, down from $30

Samsung 840 EVO Series 1TB 2.5″ SATA III Solid State Drive $400 shipped (orig. $850)

Other new deals:

New! SlingBox M1 and SlingTV debut alongside free PC/Mac desktop app
New! Klipsch STATUS Over-Ear Headphones (black or white) $110 shipped (Reg. $250)
New! Daily Deals: Sony Soundbar w/Sub $70, ViewSonic 24″ 1080p Monitor $135, more
New! Games/Apps: MGS Ground Zeroes $20, Splitter Pro FREE, 50% off djay, more
New! Omaker 3.3ft MFi Lightning cable (black or white) $10 Prime shipped (Reg. $20)

Griffin takes 15% off Site Wide This Week With promo code NAMM14 http://t.co/rwyZSlvodF

— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) July 16, 2014

More deals still alive:

Kensington Keycover for iPad Air $16, Logitech Ultrathin for iPad 2/3/4 (ref) $20
Media: last chance on all South Park episodes for free, dozens of hit iTunes albums for $8 each, more
3-Pack of Etekcity Wireless Remote Controlled Outlets $17 (Reg. $76)
Slingbox Pro HD TV Streamer refurb $60 (Orig. $200)
Bluetooth sound bars from Yamaha, Philips, and Samsung starting at $70 shipped
1 year magazine subs from $5: ESPN, Macworld, The Economist, more
Activewear: REI up to 35% off, Eastbay 20% off, 2014 Nike Free from $79
Mpow Dual-Port USB Wall Charger $9, Car Charger $8, MFi lightning cable $10
Nexus 5 (unlocked) 16GB: $335 (Reg. $350)
4TB Samsung D3 Station desktop drive $115 shipped (Reg. $150+)
Raspberry Pi B+ microcomputer now available w/ several enhancements, same $35 price tag
Epson WorkForce All-in-One $190 (orig. $300), more
Fashion: Levi’s jeans/apparel additional 50% off + free shipping, more
Smart Home:
- Free Philips Hue personal wireless lightning bulb ($60 value) w/ purchase of Philips Hue pack
- $25 off the Wink Hub w/ one accessory purchase or $49 off w/ two accessory purchases
Angry Birds Star Wars II for iOS goes free ($0.99 value)
Samsung 51″ Plasma $400 new (Reg. $500), Sharp 32″w/ $100 Dell GC $250 ($410 value)
Save 25% on all accessories from T-Mobile, including Olloclip, cases, speakers, more

New products/ongoing promotions:

Woot founder’s new daily deal website ‘Meh’ officially opens its doors today
Microsoft is handing out $75 in credit to select gamers for upgrading to Xbox One
UE Boom Bluetooth speaker wins Gold at Design Excellence Awards, now $180 (Reg. $200)
Rayman Fiesta Run available for free on iOS (Reg. $3)
Samsung’s new 850 Solid State Drives pre-order from $129.99 shipped
Save 25% on Nomad’s new carabiner, key & credit card sized MFi Lightning cables

Android/Microsoft deals:

LG G3 (AT&T, Sprint, VZW): $100 w/ 2-yr agreement ($250 value)

Review: Kickflip is a cool, simple, and affordable stand for your MacBook

Mark Gurman Jul 14 2014 - 8:57 pm PT

8 Comments

For the past couple of weeks, I have been testing a new MacBook stand called the Kickflip. I’ve used some of the more high-end stands for my laptop in the past as it improves the ergonomics involved with keyboard typing and because it improves the cooling of the computer. This new Kickflip is not stationary like some other stands on the market, but it is an accessory that sticks to the bottom of your laptop. The stand can be closed for when you want to keep the laptop in a bag or carry it around, and you flip out the kickstand when you want to raise up your laptop. The experience is nice, the stand is sturdy, and I very much have enjoyed using the Kickflip…

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Eddy Cue offering up lunch and a MacBook Air for charity

Zac Hall Jul 14 2014 - 10:39 am PT

6 Comments

Image via AP

Apple CEO Tim Cook has now participated in two charity auctions through the site Charitybuzz, first raising $610,000 for coffee with the CEO then $330,000 for lunch and an invitation to an Apple event, and now Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue is offering his time as well in an effort to raise money for a good cause. The winning bidder for the Apple executive’s auction will specifically win the opportunity to have lunch with Eddy Cue at Apple’s campus in Cupertino, California, as well as a 13-inch MacBook Air…
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Review: Transcend’s JetDrives add whopping 240-960GB SSD to MacBook Air at a great price

Seth Weintraub Jul 4 2014 - 7:34 am PT

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See that little $190 daughter card up there^? It houses 240GB of Transcend SSD and it could replace the 64GB or 128GB SSD that came in your MacBook Air in as little as 5 minutes. Even better, Transcend just released larger versions in 480GB and 960GB sizes to blow your SATA III MacBook Air or Pro into new worlds of space. Keep in mind these are SATA-based SSDs and Apple’s latest round of MacBook Pro/Airs came with speedier PCIe SSDs so you can’t use these on Apple’s late 2013/2014 models (see bottom of the article for compatibility list).

I got my hands on a demo unit and took it for a test drive…

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Apple launches 2014 Back to School promotion: $100 Apple Store gift cards with Macs, $50 with iPad/iPhone

Benjamin Mayo Jul 1 2014 - 2:38 am PT

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As we reported two weeks ago and again yesterday, Apple has today launched its Back to School promotion for this school season. Like previous years, qualifying student customers will get a free gift card alongside any purchase of a Mac, iPad or iPhone. While last year Apple gave out Mac App Store/iTunes cards, this year’s cards are for Apple Retail Stores.

Buying any Mac makes the buyer eligible for a $100 Apple Store gift card and $50 cards will be distributed alongside iPads and iPhones.

Interested students can buy any Mac (except for the Mac Mini), or any iPad or iPhone currently on sale at the Apple Store, to be eligible for the promotion. Students can also receive education discount pricing where applicable, alongside the gift card giveaway.

Back to School runs from today until September 9th and available in many regions, including the United States, Canada, the UK and many other countries in Europe.
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9to5Toys Last Call: iOttie iPhone mounts 50% off, Bose QC15 headphones $269, Macbook Air 11″ (refurb) $500, more

Justin Kahn Jun 30 2014 - 9:32 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:

iOttie 50% off sitewide sale: save on top-rated iPhone car and bike mounts, more
Samsung 46″ LED 1080p 120Hz 3D HDTV: $500, LG 47″ 1080p Smart TV: $650 + Free $300 Dell GC
$100 Toys R Us gift card for $85 (15% in savings)
Headphones: Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling over-ears $269 (Reg. $300), Philips O’Neill over-ears $105 (Reg. $300), more

Save 25% on Nomad’s new carabiner, key & credit card sized MFi Lightning cables

Apple deals:

Apple Macbook Air 11.6 Inch 128GB refurb $500 shipped (orig. $1,200)
iPad Air WiFi 32GB $490 (Reg. $599), 64GB $580 (Reg. $699)
iPhone 5c 32GB GSM (unlocked) $450 shipped (Reg. $650)
iPad mini Smart Cover (multiple colors) as low as $17 from Best Buy (58% off)

Logitech Ultrathin Bluetooth keyboard case for iPad mini $20 shipped (Reg. $80)

Other new deals:

New! Bowers & Wilkins recertified: P5 headphones $200 (Reg. $300 new)
New! Daily Deals: Sony A/V Receiver $329, Logitech UE 4000 Headphones: $20, more
New! Games/Apps: Watch Dogs $50 (Reg. $60), 1yr. PlayStation Plus $40 (Reg. $50), more
New! Home deals: vacuums, blenders, food processors, patio umbrellas, mixers, more

More deals still alive:

Seiki Digital 50″ 4K UHD 2160p 120Hz LED HDTV $450 shipped (Reg. $700)
OtterBox Commuter Series for iPhone 5/5s (black or white) $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)
Fashion: up to 40% off North Face apparel, Sperry Top-Sider Boat shoes from $37, more
Bose OE2i on-ears $100 (Reg. $180)
WD Elements 2TB portable USB 3.0 hard drive $85 shipped (Reg. $130)
Home Deals: Dyson DC40 vac (refurb) $230, more
Synology DiskStation 4-Bay Network Attached Storage (DS412+): $567 shipped (orig. $735)
Media: free movie money for new Transformers/Planet of the Apes flicks
Harman Kardon 5.1-channel, 70-Watt Audio/Video Receiver refurb $119 (Orig. $479)
Samsung 32″ 1080p $250 (orig. $480), LG 42″ 1080p, 120Hz $460 (orig. $900), more
Epson WorkForce Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer w/ AirPrint $100 (Reg. $150)
Samsung 840 EVO 2.5″ 120GB SATA III SSD $70 (Reg. $110)
Anker Ultra-Slim Qi-Enabled Wireless Charging Pad $20 (Reg. $46)
Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB USB 3.0 portable hard drive in red $55 shipped (Reg. $120)

New products/ongoing promotions:

Jabra unveiled two new ‘Next Generation’ Bluetooth products this week
JBL announces two new lines of headphones
Vector Unit announces new Beach Buggy Racing title coming to mobile this Summer
Best Buy slashes $100 off new MacBook Air, deals as low as $650 with .EDU email
Save 25% on handcrafted DODOcase accessories for iPad, iPhone, more
Steam’s Summer Sale starts with deep discounts on PC/Mac games
D-Link expands smart home lineup with new Wi-Fi Motion Sensor and mobile control app
Jump on Apple’s new $1099 1.4GHz iMac? We might have a better offer for under $1000
Nest Protect relaunches with a 22% discount, now just $99
E3 Pre-order guide: Destiny PS4 bundle, PlayStation TV, next gen GTA V, more

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Asus Google Nexus 7 Tablet 16GB (2nd Gen) refurb $130 shipped (Reg. $230)
AT&T offering $50 Google Play credit with purchase of an Android device

Supply-chain rumors support analyst prediction of Q3 launch for 12-inch MacBook Air

Ben Lovejoy Jun 24 2014 - 4:08 am PT

14 Comments

A prediction by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple would be launching an all-new 12-inch MacBook Air model in Q3 have been supported by supply-chain rumors cited by Digitimes.

Apple’s new 12-inch MacBook Air will enter mass production in the third quarter, filling the gap between the 11- and 13-inch MacBook Airs as well as enhancing Apple’s leadership in the small-to-medium-size ultra-thin notebook market, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

Digitimes is not always the most reliable of sources, and its suggestion that Apple’s motivation is to establish a clearer differentiation from the 10-inch iPad Air makes little sense, but a fall launch would seem credible.

The typically-reliable Kuo suggests that the 12-inch model will have the same external size as the current 11-inch MacBook Air, and will have a Retina display. It has also been suggested that the machine might be made without a fan or mechanical trackpad button – perhaps by using a new Core M Broadwell processor announced by Intel.

(Image via notebookcheck.net)

A day in the life of a cycle-touring holiday with Apple (and Garmin) tech

Ben Lovejoy Jun 23 2014 - 7:03 am PT

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Having just returned from a 12-day cycle-touring holiday (you missed me, right?), it occurred to me how much the activity has changed over the years. The basics are still the same, of course: turning the pedals makes the scenery pass slowly by, and by the end of the day you’re 40 or 50 miles away from where you had breakfast. But what used to be a very low-tech activity, involving little more than a paper map and compass, has now turned into something of a technofest – at least for me and a fellow geek friend who joined me. And my MacBook Air, iPad and iPhone are all integral parts of the trip …

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Apple releases new cheaper iMac with low-end processor, priced at $1099

Benjamin Mayo Jun 18 2014 - 5:05 am PT

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As rumored last week, Apple has today released a new model of iMac. These machines are considerably cheaper than their predecessors, priced at $1099. Previously, the cheapest iMac SKU was priced at $1299 (which is now the mid-range model).

The cheaper iMac features a 1.4 GHz dual-core i5 CPU, which represents a significant worsening in performance over the previous base model of iMac, which featured a processor clocked at 2.7 GHz. The CPU does Turbo Boost up to 2.7 GHz however, which does make up some of the difference.

Aside from the CPU, the hard drive has also been cut to 500 GB. The new model also features a lower-end integrated graphics chip. All other iMac models continue to use either Iris Pro integrated graphics or dedicated Nvidia cards. Otherwise, the internals of the new machine are unchanged.

Apple’s Press release below…

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