MacBook

617 'MacBook' stories December 2010 - November 2013

Light. Years ahead.

Check out our top stories on MacBook:

Originally released April 10, 2015 and last refreshed April 19, 2016, the all-new MacBook ($1,299 and up from the Apple Store) is the thinnest and lightest Mac laptop ever made. It’s also the first MacBook to be offered in four color options: classic silver, space gray, gold and rose gold.

Currently offered only with a 12″ screen, it represents the future of Apple laptops. Following a refresh in April 2016, it now includes a 2304×1440 (226ppi) Retina display, 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage, coupled with ultra-low-power Intel Core M processors. The base model includes a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M chip with an Intel HD Graphics 515 GPU; and upgraded models offer to 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m5 or 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core m7 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz.

With a redesigned chassis that’s only slightly wider than the keyboard, the new MacBook’s 0.14″–0.52″ thickness was achieved in part by dropping all external connectivity ports save for a 3.5mm headphone port and a new reversible USB-C port, which can be used for power, data connectivity, and video output. Most of the MacBook’s connectivity is handled wirelessly with 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4 support. It promises 9-10 hours of battery life depending on how the computer is being used.

A redesigned Force Touch trackpad now can sense multiple levels of pressure rather than just one, using four pressure sensors and a haptic feedback pad to replicate the clickiness of a traditional trackpad. Additionally, the keyboard has been completely redesigned to retain the expected clicks, precision, and travel of conventional keys, while cutting their depth and width to fit the chassis. An ultra-thin top lid has only enough depth for a 640×480 FaceTime camera, a compromise for the smaller size.

Just like the first-generation MacBook Air, the new MacBook is aimed at users whose computing needs don’t demand incredible horsepower, yet benefit from a slim, light chassis with a really nice screen. Though you’ll do better in raw dollar terms and power by buying a comparably priced 13″ Retina MacBook Pro, you’ll have nearly twice the weight to carry around (2.03 pounds versus 3.48 pounds) and a larger footprint to manage. The choice of which is best for your needs will be highly personal.

Current Lineup:

MacBook (12-inch, Early 2016)

Related Guides:

Apple fixes 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro trackpad/keyboard issues, graphics bug on 15-inch

Mark Gurman Nov 7 2013 - 12:07 pm PT

3 Comments

With the new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro launch last month, many users have noticed and complained about issues relating to the computer’s keyboard and trackpad becoming unresponsive.

In line with Apple’s promise, a fix has been delivered:

This update is recommended for MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, late 2013) models. This update addresses an issue where the built-in keyboard and Multi-Touch trackpad may become unresponsive.

The solution comes in the form of the MacBook Pro Retina EFI Update 1.3, and this update is available via Software Update in the Mac App Store. Apple has also released an update for the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro to fix issues relating to NVIDIA Graphics chips:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Latest MacBook Pro 15 gets blazing SSD performance thanks to 4-channel PCIe (updated)

Ben Lovejoy Nov 4 2013 - 5:43 am PT

11 Comments

Update: It appears this may be a function of the 1TB drives fitted to both 13- and 15-inch models. The reason for this isn’t yet clear: it may be the drives used offer greater bandwidth.

Benchmark tests by French site Mac4Ever show that the latest MacBook Pro 15 is delivering SSD read and write speeds in excess of 1GB per second. The site repeatedly achieved these speeds when Apple claims only “up to 775MB per second.”

The MBP 15 is able to achieve these speeds because it has a 4-channel PCIe connection to the SSD, in contrast to the 2-channel link on the MBP 13 and MacBook Air models, though from some reader reports this may be the case only on models fitted with 1TB drives …

Expand
Expanding
Close

iPad Air teardown: never mind the repairability, feel the tech

Ben Lovejoy Nov 1 2013 - 5:27 am PT

16 Comments

iFixit has done its usual trick of hopping over to Australia to get its hands on an iPad Air in the first time-zone to open its doors for business to bring us a look at the innards of the new device. The device is now on sale in the U.S. too, with supplies expected to be good.

No surprise that the company found little prospect of success for DIY repair, reporting that even opening the casing was a challenge: when you pack that much technology into so small a space, there’s going to be a lot of glue involved.

Some details of what the company found and more photos below the fold …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Best Buy offering $100 discount on MacBook Airs this weekend, $25 gift card with iPad 4

Mark Gurman Oct 31 2013 - 3:53 pm PT

0 Comments

Alongside the launch of the iPad Air tomorrow, Best Buy is holding some special price promotions for some MacBook and older iPad models. The company says that it will provide $100 discounts on all MacBook Air models on Friday and Saturday. The offer will be available both via the company’s online store and in its chain of physical retail stores. If you don’t absolutely need one of these devices this week it is best to hold tight and watch 9to5Toys (on Twitter too!) as we expect even heavier discounts throughout the holiday season.

The company will also offer a discount on the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro. Currently, the Best Buy Online Store offers the $1499 configuration with 8GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive for $1349, but the company will take off an extra $150 ($1249) for Friday and Saturday. Like with the MacBook Air deal, this offer is applicable both in-store and online. Keep in mind, that for $50 more, you can get a thinner, lighter Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro, but that will come with substantially less storage and half the RAM.

In addition to the price cuts on Macs, buyers of the fourth-generation iPad with Retina display at Best Buy stores will get a $25 gift card. With the iPad Air coming in at $499, this older iPad model will cost $449 before the gift card. Also, the wireless Jawbone Jambox speaker system will be cut from $149 to $199. The speaker deal will run from Friday until Saturday this weekend, and the iPad 4 deal is already live.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple working on innovative solar charging system for MacBooks, iPads and iPhones

Ben Lovejoy Oct 31 2013 - 6:22 am PT

3 Comments

An innovative approach to solar charging revealed in an Apple patent application published today (via Patently Apple) could make it more practical to power both MacBooks and iOS devices from the sun.

The voltage and power generated by a solar panel varies with the amount of sunlight. To turn the power supply into something that can safely be used by an electronic device, you need a converter or regulator to deliver the correct specs to the device, adding cost and bulk to the panel.

What the Apple patent describes is building the necessary power management circuitry into the MacBook, iPad or iPhone so that it can accept whatever power the panel supplies. This potentially allows for cheaper and more portable panels …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Opinion: What can we expect from the elusive Apple Television?

Ben Lovejoy Oct 28 2013 - 11:20 am PT

59 Comments

All concept visuals: martinhajek.com

Having recently speculated on what Apple might have planned in the way of 4K displays, I thought I’d build on that to think about what it might have in store on the television front.

If you didn’t read my 4K piece, the tl;dr version is I think Apple will launch a 4K Thunderbolt Display in about a year’s time, once it has a new generation of MacBook Pro models able to drive one (or preferably two) at a decent frame-rate.

The question then is: what form might the long-rumored Apple Television take? After all, plug an upgraded Apple TV box into an Apple 4K display and you’d have an Apple Television right there. Why would we need anything more … ?
Expand
Expanding
Close

Thinner, lighter, FASTER: Early benchmarks show 50-65% improvement in MacBook Pro’s Iris graphics

Seth Weintraub Oct 26 2013 - 6:51 am PT

7 Comments

Macworld’s benchmarks

…less expensive, better battery life too

Apple’s relentless improvement iterations continue unabated. Macworld’s early benchmarks on Apple’s new base model 13″MacBook Pro with built in Intel Iris Graphics are in and show huge speed gains in graphics performance:

The most impressive improvements in the new laptops came courtesy of the new Iris graphics. Compared to the HD 4000 graphics in the early 2013 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, the Iris graphics posted between 45 and 50 percent higher frame rates in Cinebench r15’s OpenGL tests and the Unigine Valley Benchmark. Unigen’s Heaven benchmark showed the new systems with about 65 percent improvement in frame rates over the earlier model.

Iris Graphics also support displays up to 4K at 24Hz, a first for Apple’s entry level Pro laptops.

CPU performance improvement is slight but the Intel Haswell architecture adds a few hours of (Apple’s estimated) battery life while the machine actually got thinner and lighter. Meanwhile, Apple loaded up faster 802.11ac Wifi and speedy Samsung PCIe SSDs up to 1TB and Thunderbolt 2.0.

Price? Dropped $100 to $1299. (we are already seeing discounts/tax advantages in our Products section).
Expand
Expanding
Close

New Haswell MacBook Pro teardowns beautiful but prove almost non-repairable by mortals

Ben Lovejoy Oct 25 2013 - 5:16 am PT

23 Comments

MacBook Pro 13

Teardowns of the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models reveal lots of shiny technology, but with the machines following the construction lead of the MacBook Air, it’s no surprise to see IFixIt giving both models low scores for repairability. The extreme difficulty in removing both battery and trackpad mean both models get even worse scores than the Air, at just 1 out of 10.

As with the Air, RAM is soldered directly to the logic board, so if you think you may need more in the future, take a deep breath and pay Apple’s price for the 16GB upgrade as there is no way to upgrade it later. IFixIt also draws particular attention to the difficulty of replacing the battery,

The lithium-polymer battery is glued rather than screwed into the case, which increases the chances that it’ll break during disassembly. The battery also covers the trackpad cable, which tremendously increases the chance that the user will shear the cable in the battery removal process.

More details and photos below the fold …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Report: New MacBook Pros on sale Oct 24/25, iPads Oct 30/31, Mac Pro Nov 15

Ben Lovejoy Oct 15 2013 - 4:26 am PT

32 Comments

Image: techbeat.com

French site MacG, which has an imperfect track-record, claims to have been given the dates on which the new MacBook Pros, iPads and Mac Pro will go on sale. The claimed dates are:

MacBook Pro on October 24th or 25th
iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 on October 30th or 31st
Mac Pro on November 15th

With Apple’s media event scheduled for 22nd October, this would put the MacBook Pros on sale very quickly indeed, just two or three days later.

However, the iPad and Mac Pro dates do not make as much sense. Apple has typically launched its new iPad models on Fridays (or Saturday for the original version), making it unlikely that the new tablets would hit store shelves on a Wednesday or Thursday (as the MacGeneration report claims).

As for the Mac Pro, that machine is a built-to-order computer, so perhaps it would be difficult to pinpoint an actual launch date for that product. MacG also happened to have claimed that Apple’s event would occur today, so that does not add much credibility to these new claims.

Below is what we’re expecting to see for each product …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Coming from Apple in 2014: 12-inch Retina MacBook, sharper iPad, cheaper iMac?

Mark Gurman Oct 12 2013 - 4:30 pm PT

38 Comments

According to typically-reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, Apple has a slew of new products in the works for 2014. The analyst has summarized his expectations for these new products in a new research note, and has also reaffirmed some of his previous claims for products in Apple’s pipeline for the rest of Fall 2013…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Review: Twelve South GhostStand for MacBooks

Mark Gurman Oct 4 2013 - 5:03 pm PT

0 Comments

Since its launch a couple of months ago, I have been using the Twelve South GhostStand as a stand for my MacBook Pro. Ideally, the stand is supposed to be used as a way to prop up a laptop’s display to be used with an external mouse and keyboard. However, in my current setup, I lack external input devices, but the stand has been excellent for making room on my desk for other work and watching movies. Sometimes, it is also helpful to use the computer (with its built in keyboard and trackpad) while its propped up on the stand.

As for the accessory itself, the build quality is great, and it is easy to setup. The GhostStand ships with two pieces that you connect together to form the stand. It is not recommended that users take the stand apart after setup. The stand includes a soft material on the bottom so you don’t have to worry about scratching your desk or other places in which you might place the GhostStand. The stand works with MacBooks of all kinds, including the classic models, Airs, Pros, and Retina Pros.

It runs for $34.99, and it a great option for those looking to extend their notebook experience with an external keyboard and mouse.

Opinion: Is Thunderbolt doomed to be the new Firewire, or can the new Mac Pro save it?

Ben Lovejoy Sep 30 2013 - 7:50 am PT

58 Comments

I’m a huge fan of Thunderbolt. A single wire carrying both DisplayPort and high-speed PCIe data is an incredibly elegant approach to minimising cable clutter even if you don’t need the blistering speed, especially when you can use an Apple Thunderbolt Display as a hub for your USB devices.

I also admire clever tech. The reason you can daisy-chain up to six separate devices is because Thunderbolt automatically multiplexes and de-multiplexes the signals as needed. Thunderbolt 2 takes this approach one step further, combining two 10Gbit/s channels into a single 20Gbit/s connection, with the the Thunderbolt controller again doing all the work. It’s impressive stuff.

A fast, clever technology developed by Intel and enthusiastically marketed by Apple ought to stand a fighting chance at mass-market adoption. Sadly, there’s so far not much sign of this happening. It’s all looking rather reminiscent of Firewire …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Can Apple announce the rest of 2013’s products in just one event?

Mark Gurman Sep 25 2013 - 9:26 am PT

43 Comments

Last fall, Apple had a lot of products to introduce: a new iPhone, two new iPads, three new iPods, and a few new Macs. Apple ended up dividing those new devices into two events: an iPhone + iPod event and an iPad + Mac event.

Without much occurring during the first half of this year, and even with the new iPhones launching this month, Apple still has a significant amount of products to still announce this year. Let’s take a look at what’s coming:

Redesigned full-sized iPad (64-bit, looks like a larger iPad mini, likely no Touch ID)
iPad mini with Retina display (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions have been in testing, likely no Touch ID)
iPad mini without Retina display (version with faster, A6 processor has been in testing)
MacBook Pros with Haswell chips, improved battery life
Haswell Mac minis
Final OS X Mavericks details, pricing (launch targeted for late October, but sources now say there’s been internal chatter about a (very unlikely) push-back to early November
Mac Pro tech specs, pricing, availability details
Secret Mac-related hardware that nobody knows about coming as soon as late 2013
New Apple TV hardware
Redesigned first-party iOS 7 apps
New iWork for Mac
New iWork for iOS
New Final Cut Pro

Could Apple announce all of this in one sitting?…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Belkin announces YourType Wireless Keypad to extend your Mac’s keyboard

Jordan Kahn Sep 23 2013 - 1:12 pm PT

5 Comments

Belkin has just introduced a new YourType Wireless Keypad made to match your Mac that adds 28 keys to your setup and connects over Bluetooth. There are other options around, like turning your iPhone into a numpad using an app or using Mobee’s $23 overlay for Apple Magic Pad. But for physical keys and a design clearly made to look a lot like Apple’s own Magic Trackpad and fit in with your aluminum Mac, you can pick up the YourType Wireless Keypad for Mac from Belkin’s website now for $59.

Wireless keypad connects to iMac, Mac Pro, or MacBook via Bluetooth
Adds 28 keys, including function and document navigation controls
Aluminum enclosure matches Apple Wireless Keyboard
Low-profile, island-style keys
Includes two AA batteries

Logitech announces Ultrathin multi-touch Bluetooth mouse made to match your MacBook

Jordan Kahn Aug 28 2013 - 6:13 am PT

8 Comments

Logitech is announcing a line of new super slim, touch enabled Bluetooth mice today that might finally give Mac users a great alternative to Apple’s own multi-touch Magic Mouse. While both mouses feature the same specs and multi-touch enabled surface, Logitech is marketing the black version for Windows Ultrabook users, while the white version has been made specifically for OS X users to match the all-aluminum body of MacBooks.

“Whether it’s a computer, tablet, smartphone or touch-navigation device, people are looking for thin, modern design that works fluidly,” said Charlotte Johs, Logitech global vice president of brand development. “We created the Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse to give people an ultraportable mouse that complements today’s MacBook and Ultrabook computers.”

The Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse T631 for Mac (as well as the T630 for Ultrabooks) features a brushed metallic body, “feather-light” design at 70g, and comes in at 85 mm x 59mm x 18 mm. It also includes USB charging, Logitech’s Easy-Switch Bluetooth technology for switching between devices, and optimizations for OS X touch gestures. The company says you can expect to get around 1 hour of use from 1 minute of charge time. Logitech clarified that the mouse gets around 10 hours max battery life on a full charge:

the Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse is much longer than one hour — it can last up to 10 days on a full charge, based on typical user experiences. It charges very quickly, and just one minute of charge time will give you up to one hour of power.

The Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse T631 for Mac in white will be available in the US and Europe in November, while the Ultrathin Touch Mouse T630 in black will be available in both markets starting in next month. Both will sell for $69.99 and are available to preorder now through Logitech’s website starting today.

9to5Toys Last Call: Slingbox Solo (refurb) $60, MacBook 1.83GHz 1GB RAM 60GB HD (refurb), MLB.TV, Synology NAS, games, more

Aug 22 2013 - 3:00 pm PT

0 Comments

From 9to5Toys.com:

A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+.

Today’s Featured deals:

Slingbox Solo TV Internet re-broadcaster(recert): $59 shipped ($40 off)

Apple MacBook 13.3″ Laptop 1.83GHz Core Duo 60GB, 1GB RAM, OS 10.6, Refurb. $240 shipped

Other great deals we love:

New! MLB.TV Back to School Limited Time Offer $19.99 A Year Subscription
New! Gamer Deals: Halo 4: $17, Dead Space 3: $15, DMC: $15, iOS freebies, more
New! 1 Year Magazine Subscriptions: Maxim $3.50, Fast Company $4.40, more
New! Discounted Synology DiskStation NAS Servers: 2-bay $152, 5-bay $592, 8-bay $744
New! 16GB Kindle Fire HD 1080P 8.9 inch certified refurb: $179 shipped (25% off), 32GB: $199
New! Seagate Expansion 1TB USB 3.0/2.0 Portable Hard Drive $60 shipped

Freebies:

Google Play Summer Party Hits from Katy Perry, Daft Punk, Beastie Boys, and more for free or $0.91
Get a free audible.com $5 voucher for audiobooks
Get an extra 1GB of Dropbox space for free

Western Digital 1.5TB portable USB 3.0 external hard drive $80 shipped (Reg. $120)
Klipsch Image ONE on-ear headphones w/ Mic and 3-button remote $65 shipped (Reg. $150)
4600 mAh Portable Power Bank from A ViiQ: $35 (Reg. $95)
Spigen new-coated backpack $60 (Reg. $100)
TiVo announces new ‘Roamio’ DVRs w/ out-of-home streaming to mobile devices and 6 tuners
NFL Sunday Ticket for $55 after early Madden 25 video game trade-in at Best Buy
Duo Gamer controller for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch: $6 (Reg. $40)
D-Link wireless network day camera with iPad/iPhone integration $35 shipped (Reg. $50)
$50 iTunes Gift Card for $40: 20% savings on future app, music, movie purchases
Apple does rare iTunes ‘buy 1 get 2 free’ movie bundle sale (starting $10)
The Steve Jobs Video Bundle: Lectures On The Man, His Legacy & The Future Of Technology $15
9to5Toys Exclusive: Get an extra $10 on Gazelle when you trade-in your used (or broken!) electronics
Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones $269 (Reg $299)
Nearly 200 Mac Games on sale up to 66% off

Apple invents a flexible material to create truly seamless enclosures for MacBooks & other products

Jordan Kahn Aug 22 2013 - 7:05 am PT

7 Comments

The US Patent & Trademark Office today published a new Apple patent application (via PatentlyApple) that details a flexible material that could be used as a hinge to create a seamless enclosure for devices like the MacBook, for example. Apple details a technical process of using specialized machinery to laser cut “flex apertures” and interlocking features in a rigid material to allow it to bend and function as a hinge. On top of creating a seamless enclosure, Apple claims the process would allow it to reduce the size of devices that are often increased due to traditional hinge solutions. Imagine if the enclosure of a MacBook didn’t include that black plastic hinge and instead appeared to be a seamless piece of aluminium connecting the display to the bottom half of the unibody.

While MacBooks might seem like the obvious application for Apple’s invention, it also notes the usual list of devices that could potentially use the technology including everything from smartphones to televisions and game consoles. The patent also shows the material being used on headphone cables to allow a flexible connection from the cable to the earbud to prevent damage, and on what appears to be an iPad Smart Cover-like accessory:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Best Buy slashes new Mac prices w/extra savings for students; Haswell Airs start at $849

Seth Weintraub Jul 18 2013 - 3:50 pm PT

0 Comments

From 9to5toys.com:

Best Buy is having a significant College Student sale this week on MacBook Airs, Retina/Pros and iMacs and Students or anyone with a .edu email address get another $100 off the sale prices signing up here. For instance, the entry level Haswell MacBook Air is now $949 and another $100 drops it down to $849, the lowest price we’ve seen by $100.

Haswell MacBook Air prices:

MacBook Air – 11.6″ Display/4GB Memory/128GB Flash Storage:$949.99-$100 students=$849.99 ($150 off)
MacBook Air – 11.6″ Display/4GB Memory/256GB Flash Storage:$1139.99-$100 students=$1039.99 ($170 off)
MacBook Air – 13.3″ Display/4GB Memory/128GB Flash Storage:$1,044.99-$100 students=$944.99 ($155 off)
MacBook Air – 13.3″ Display/4GB Memory/256GB Flash Storage:$1,234.99-$100 students=$1134.99 ($165 off)

Retina MacBook Pro prices:

MacBook Pro Retina 13.3″/8GB Memory/128GB Flash Storage:$1399.99-$100 students=$1299.99 ($200 off)
MacBook Pro Retina 15.4″/8GB Memory/256GB Flash Storage:$2044.99-$100 students=$1944.99 ($255 off)

iMac Prices save $100 across the board and another $100 for students = $200 savings starting at $1100

The MacBook Student $100 off promotion starts today, and will end July 27.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Customers reporting volume fluctuations when playing videos on latest MacBook Air

Ben Lovejoy Jul 10 2013 - 4:31 am PT

0 Comments

Customers on the Apple Support Communities forum are reporting fluctuating audio volumes when playing videos on the new mid-2013 13-inch MacBook Air in a thread which has attracted 83 replies.

The problem seems to be a system issue rather than app-related, being reported in iTunes, QuickTime, VLC, Hulu, Vevo and when watching web videos in both Safari and Chrome – but doesn’t seem to affect all videos. It has also been reported that the issue persists when running Mavericks …

Several customers report that Apple is keen to get hold of affected machines so that it can identify the cause.

tbrumleve wrote: After being contacted by an AppleCare rep today, they do not yet have a fix. They are very interested in getting a hold of the affected hardware, and are willing to send a replacement immediately. However, they cannot guarantee it won’t have the same problem.

This is the second issue to reportedly affect the new MacBook Air, after widespread reports of wifi problems. In that case, Apple issued an update to the wifi software. However, 83 posts in a thread live for several weeks suggests that while the audio issue is affecting a significant minority of machines, it is likely less prevalent that the wifi issue.

Thanks, Aikiharvey.

Your MacBook as you’ve never seen it before … with visible EMF field

Ben Lovejoy Jul 3 2013 - 8:29 am PT

0 Comments

Hack an Android phone to act as an electro-magnetic field detector and write an app to overlay the data on video of the device you’re scanning, and this oddly fascinating video is what you get.

It was created by Luke Sturgeon and Shamik Ray from the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design.

We chose to make Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) that surround us visible. EMFs are particularly strong around devices with electrical and magnetic parts. Using long exposure photography and stop-frame animation we tried to ‘light-paint’ the EMF around objects like our laptops and an old tape-deck.

Through a series of experiments in photographic and lighting techniques followed by hacking up an Android phone to act as an EMF indicator and then coding our own app in Processing we were able to visualize how these fields change over objects.

Via Gizmodo

5,100 3rd party ATG MacBook batteries recalled from Best Buy

9to5 Staff Jun 20 2013 - 12:00 am PT

0 Comments

The AP has the story: Best Buy is recalling 5,100 replacement batteries for the MacBook Pro due to a fire risk.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday that there have been 13 reports that the battery caught fire. One consumer suffered a serious burn on the leg.

Best Buy Co. is voluntarily recalling both black and white ATG lithium-ion replacement batteries for the notebook computers. The batteries were sold online or shipped to customers through its Geek Squad services from September of 2008 through June of 2012 for about $50.

Best Buy said it is contacting customers to ask them to return the batteries for replacement or for a Best Buy gift card. Company spokesman Jeff Shelman noted that Best Buy is only one of many retailers that may have sold the batteries.

The model number “MC-MBOOK13B” is on the label of the black battery and “MC-BOOK13W” is on the label of the white battery. The ATG logo is on both.

Best Buy’s official statement switches the “U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission” with “reports from consumers”:

After receiving reports from customers of these lithium ion batteries overheating when charging, we believe the right thing to do is to contact our customers and ask them to return the product for replacement or for a Best Buy gift card. While we are only one of many companies that may have sold these batteries, we feel they are a potential fire and burn hazard and want to keep our customers safe.

Recall Details

Units

About 5,100

Description

This recall involves both black and white ATG lithium-ion replacement batteries for MacBook Pro notebook computers. Model number “MC-MBOOK13B” is on the label of the black battery and model number “MC-BOOK13W” is on the label of the white battery. The ATG logo is on both batteries.

Incidents/Injuries

The firm has received 13 reports that the battery caught fire, including one report of a serious burn to a consumer’s leg.

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled battery, remove it from the computer and contact Best Buy for a replacement Apple brand battery or a $50 Best Buy gift card as a full refund. Best Buy is contacting its customers directly.

Sold at

Bestbuy.com and Partstore.com, or shipped to customers through the Geek Squad Protection fulfillment at Best Buy from September 2008 through June 2012 for about $50.

Importer

BTI Corp., of Las Vegas

Apple announces refreshed MacBook Airs with Haswell, 802.11ac, 12hrs battery life

Jordan Kahn Jun 10 2013 - 10:53 am PT

0 Comments

As we expected based on our intel leading up to the event, Apple just introduced refreshed MacBook Airs live on stage at it’s WWDC 2013 keynote address today. Apple announced that the new MacBook Airs will be arriving with the new Intel Haswell chips, as expected, and spent most of the time talking about increased battery life for the devices which now includes up to 12hrs battery. The 13-inch model now boasts battery life up to 12 hours (up from 7 on the previous generation), while the 11-inch model is expected to get 9-hour battery life (up from 5 on the previous generation).

Apple also announced that the new MacBook Airs would include the faster 802.11ac with “a maximum data rate of 1.3Gbps, almost three times faster than 802.11n.” Other specs that Apple mentioned: dual microphones, a FaceTime® HD camera, a high-speed Thunderbolt port and two USB 3.0 ports.

All models will be available with a 1.3 GHz processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6 GHz and 4GB of RAM, but Apple will also make a BTO option available with a 1.7 GHz Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.

Apple said the new MacBook Airs include up to 40% faster graphics, 2x GPU execution units, and more energy efficient CPUs, while the machine itself now meets ENERGY STAR 5.2 and EPEAT gold environmental standards.

Apple will be shipping the new MacBook Airs starting today starting at $999 for a 128GB 11-inch model and $1099 for the 128GB 13-inch model. An extra $200 will bump you up to the 256GB models, but Apple didn’t provide any other details on any other upgraded internals.

Earlier this month we received SKUs indicating that Apple had some MacBook refreshes in the works for today’s event that would include an upgrade to Intel’s new Haswell chips and upgraded internals. At the time, the SKUs pointed to availability of the refreshed MacBooks this week, but it was unclear when the models would ship and if some would arrive before others.

Apple’s full press release below:
Expand
Expanding
Close

MacBook Air refresh looks set for WWDC, potentially with faster Wi-Fi

Mark Gurman Jun 5 2013 - 1:31 pm PT

0 Comments

Apple appears set to release new versions of its MacBook Air notebook computer at next week’s Worldwide Developers Conference, according to information provided by a source. Earlier this week, we reported that Apple is planning to release four new Mac models at WWDC, and we narrowed this down to either new MacBook Pro with Retina display models or MacBook Air models.

Today, we have received specific pricing for the aforementioned SKUs, and the price-points correspond to Apple’s current pricing for the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models. We have yet to receive pricing information that points to the imminent availability of new MacBook Pros (as some had hoped), but perhaps the next refresh to Apple’s Pro portables will arrive in the coming months. Supply constraints to the Retina MacBook Pro line seems to imply that…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Intel officially launches 4th gen Haswell processors bound for next-gen Macs just in time for WWDC

Jordan Kahn Jun 4 2013 - 7:20 am PT

0 Comments

We’ve told you several times in recent months about Intel’s next-generation Haswell processors that are largely expected to replace Apple’s current Ivy Bridge offerings in the next round of Macs. Now, ahead of Apple’s expected WWDC announcements, Intel has just officially launched its next-gen processors. The company confirmed that quad-core versions of the chips are available now with availability of ultrabooks, all-in-ones, laptops and desktops planned for this summer.

Intel says the processors provide up to a 50 percent improvement in battery life (the biggest gain in the history of Intel’s processors), and double the graphics performance of previous generation chips thanks to its ‘Iris’ technology.

Delivering Intel’s largest generation-over-generation gain in battery life enablement in company history, 4th generation Intel Core processors can bring an 50 percent improvement in battery life over the previous generation in active workloads when watching movies or surfing the Internet, and two to three times improvement in standby battery life. For some systems coming to market this year, over 9 hours of active use battery life or 10 to 13 days of standby with fresh data on a single charge is expected.

Earlier this year we saw stats from early performance tests showing Haswell will provide some notable performance boosts for MacBooks, and we’ve also heard reports that the 4th-gen Intel processors will be headed to iMacs and Mac minis towards the end of the year.

In a more recent report, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed Apple will introduce new MacBook Pro and Air updates next week at WWDC that will include an upgrade to Haswell. Yesterday, we posted even more evidence with SKUs showing that Apple is likely planning a MacBook refresh.
Expand
Expanding
Close