Apple's "a little more to show you" event

At this event on 23 Oct 2012, Apple announced:

• iPad mini - 7.9" screen (it's funny because the iPad's screen is 9.7"), 1024x768 resolution, 163 ppi
• iPad 4th gen - from what I can tell so far, the only differences are better processor and cameras
• 13" Retina MacBook Pro - 2560x1600 resolution (that's higher than their 27" Thunderbolt Display)
• New iMac - no optical drive, thinner

Laptop Build Quality

I was writing this post when my MBP died. Not very convincing telling people how good the build quality is when the computer doesn't even last 3 years :\ Anyway, that doesn't mean the other parts of the computer are bad.

Maybe I was used to my MBP, so I didn't notice it before, but when I got my Lenovo G580 I suddenly appreciated the unibody construction more.

• Seams everywhere, some even with protruding edges
• Keyboard flexes when you press in the middle, although the G580 already flexes less than some laptops I've seen
• Fan sucks dust from the bottom of the laptop
• LCD panel shows distortion when you press on it. I think this is the most irritating thing. It's a problem with all LCD screens, but the MBP was much better because there was a glass cover over the LCD, so nothing happens unless you press hard. This shows the ripples at the slightest touch
• The good thing about the G580 is the wrist rest edge of the laptop is not as sharp, which is more ergonomic

Screws are hidden behind ineffective stickers

I'm not saying the G580's build quality is bad. I think it's very good, for a $850 laptop. But there's more to a laptop than the technical specifications.

MacBook - The Last Post

I took some final pictures of my MBP before I sold it. This is the first time I'd opened it up.

Overview shot. I don't know if this is meant to have user-replaceable parts, but it's VERY neat and tidy inside. I always thought Apple didn't want people opening their products, yet this looks like a lot of attention to something the user won't see.

No asymmetric blades here.

The HDD is connected by this thin angled connector, which makes it easy to remove. I have to say I'm glad this was a standard 2.5" SATA HDD, making saving data very easy. Makes me think twice about getting the Retina MBP, which uses a logic board with custom interface.

The air grill is actually attached to the cover, not the case.

I have to say, this is amazingly free of dust for an almost 3 year old laptop. Is the cooling system rarely used, or is the air path very well designed? My friend's HP laptop was clogged with dust after less than a year and needed to be cleaned.

MacBook Pro Has Died

What happened

On 28 June 2012, I was using Windows on my MBP when it suddenly shut down, making that fan spinning down sound when you force it to shut down by holding down the power button. After that, it did not respond to the power button any more, even after resetting the SMC.

One useful thing I learnt was when you reset the SMC, the battery indicator lights light up, so you know you're doing something right. They light up:

• about 3 seconds after you press all the buttons and if you don't release them
• immediately after releasing the buttons if you don't hold them down for too long

There's also quite a lot of allowance to the timing - you don't need to press the buttons at exactly the same time. The irritating thing was NO site told you how long to hold the buttons down for when resetting the SMC (hold the buttons down for how long), so you're not sure if you're doing it right.

I sent the MBP for repair, and they said it needed a new "logic board" (why do they call it "logic board"? It sounds like it's for a simpler device, like a game console) which would cost $870+.

About a month ago my MBP's battery status was "service battery", which may have been related to this.

How I feel

• Sad that a computer has died
• Lost without a main computer
• Disappointed in Apple's computers, since another MacBook Air, also around 3 years old, is having problems with its battery
• It's slightly good that I got a new computer, but now I wish I'd gotten a better one.
• Now I have to think of a new name for this site. I wonder what else MBNI can stand for?

Possible causes

• I can't help but suspect high temperatures as the most likely cause
• Maybe using it to charge my iPhone every night is bad for it?
• Traveling?

MacBook Pro with Retina Display

At WWDC 2012, Apple announced the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display. At the same time, the 17" MBP was discontinued, making the new 15" Retina MBP the most powerful and expensive MBP. The current MBP lineup is: 13", 15" and 15" Retina (2 models of each).

Main differences of the MBP with Retina Display

• 2880x1800 pixels! 220 ppi
• Flash storage. It seems to be using its own flash chips instead of a SSD, which I don't really like. That means you can't replace the HDD yourself, or recover data if it fails.
• No DVD drive, 1.8 cm thick compared to 2.41 cm for the other MBPs
• 2.02 kg compared to 2.56 kg
• New MagSafe 2 port
• HDMI and 2 Thunderbolt ports (other MBPs only have 1 Thunderbolt and no HDMI port)
• Apple says they're re-engineered the fans to be more quiet. The case now takes air from 3 sides. They've also improved the speakers and mic. 

And other changes to the MBPs:

•  Changed to USB 3 ports! It's nice to see Apple using standard connectivity (USB 3 and HDMI).

Griffin Mini DisplayPort to HDMI & DVI adapter

I bought this adapter almost a year ago to connect my computer to external displays. It's better value for money than separate DVI and HDMI adapters. Prices on the Australian Apple store now:

• Mini DisplayPort to DVI (Apple) - $30
• Mini DP to HDMI (Moshi) - $49.95
• Mini DP to HDMI (Belkin) - $34.95
• This one - $54.95

Hmm the price seems to have gone up, I bought it for $39.95. It's still cheaper than getting separate adapters (although with separate adapters you can use both at once). I remember CompNow was selling it at about $80, which is why I bought it from Apple.

So far I've used it and it works fine, although I have to use another cable for audio since my MBP doesn't do audio over Mini DP. I wonder if you can use the second part to convert a normal DVI port to HDMI?

Liquid leaking from MBP MagSafe adapter

I keep seeing this oily, colourless liquid on my MagSafe adapter. It only appears on this side of the adapter facing the wall. I wonder if it's coming from the adapter, or is it being picked up somewhere?

MacBook Pro wearing out

MBP's trackpad button is wearing out. Not sure how to describe it, so can't search if it's common or not. Like all mouse buttons, it clicks when you press and clicks again when you release. However, when dragging, it tends to release in the software before it clicks. This can be avoided by pressing harder, so I think it's wearing out. Problem also appears when using a nonconductive object to click, showing it's not a static problem.

I wonder how much it costs to fix? And why do Apple's buttons wear out so easily?

Update 12 Feb 12
Now the problem is gone. Maybe it can be fixed with a restart?

Badass iPad/notebook stand

I was looking for a stand for my iPad, since I wanted to use it with a keyboard or watch movies on it, use it on the plane etc. The Apple Store has a few stands, but most can't be adjusted, so you're stuck at one angle. The Smart Cover has the same problem. Some are also very expensive ($70). When I bought my iPad, I actually also bought a dock, but they forgot to add it in. This turned out to be a good thing:

• the dock only works in portrait orientation
• they only had iPad (not iPad 2) docks
• the dock probably won't work with any cases/covers

I found this stand at Badass. They probably just stuck their name on it, which means you can get it on eBay for less.

 Keyboard for size comparison.

Totally adjustable angle, although the back sticks out a lot if you use it this flat.

Extendable legs let you use it with a notebook! I love this feature. It makes it feel like it can replace my notebook cooler, which I just sold. In fact, I'm using it with my notebook now. I may end up using it more for this than my iPad. The build quality is pretty good. As you can see, the hinge and extended legs are made of metal.

New MacBook Pros

I wonder why Apple quietly introduces new MBPs, while iPhones, iPods and iPads get their own events?

Image copyright Apple

According to Apple, the major changes are:

• QUAD core i7 processors (vs dual core previously)
• Thunderbolt interface (to compete with USB 3, eSATA)
• uses AMD graphics instead of Nvidia (they keep switching between the 2) (oh, I didn't notice, AMD has replaced ATI)

To me, the most interesting thing is this Thunderbolt interface, developed by Intel and Apple. It is currently the fastest external interface (10 Gbps), compared to USB 3 (5 Gbps) and eSATA (6 Gbps). They're aiming for it to replace video and component interfaces, so you can plug a harddisk or a monitor into it. It looks exactly like the old mini DisplayPort connector, and Apple says there are adaptors to connect it to VGA, DVI and HDMI, just like the old mini DisplayPort. I wonder if the adaptors are the same as the old ones? If they are, that means this interface is quite backwards-compatible.

The big question is: how popular will this be? So far, Apple is the only computer company supporting this, while most new PCs have USB 3. As big as Apple is, it needs more companies on its side for this interface to gain critical mass, otherwise it'll end up like Firewire, which is probably doomed now. It'll be interesting to see if there is enough demand for 2 standards, or which standard will give way.

This refresh makes my MBP one generation older, but it doesn't feel that old, since the new models look almost exactly the same. The only external difference is the mini DisplayPort logo has been replaced by the Thunderbolt logo. Maybe I'm biased, but I can't help feeling my MBP's generation was special, because it was announced at WWDC and it was the first with an integrated battery and SD card slot.

MacBook Pro's SD card reader

Is it me, or are built-in SD card readers particularly unreliable? My Fujitsu Lifebook's didn't work, the MBP's has problems mistaking cards as write-protected, and now mine's working is hit-and-miss. I'd trade it for another USB port.

Back to the Mac

On 20 Oct 2010, Apple held an event called "Back to the Mac". Things announced were:

• New MacBook Air, with solid state memory as default
• iLife '11
• OS X Lion
• FaceTime for Mac

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/20/live-from-apples-back-to-the-mac-event/

Some interesting statistics from the event:

• Mac made up 33% of Apple's revenue last year - 22b
• 3x 5 years ago, 50m users worldwide
• 13.7m Macs sold in FY 2010
• Macs' share in retail was 20%
• Last quarter Mac grew 2.5x, outgrown market for 18 quarters in a row
• 600k Mac developers, growing at 30k a month
• Retail stores 75m visitors last year, sold 2.8m Macs, 50% new users
• Stores in China have highest traffic

Apple also announced their 4th quarter earnings:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/18/apples-q4-earnings-are-out-records-set-for-revenue-earnings/
More interesting statistics:

• Highest revenue and earnings ever
• 14.1 million iPhones sold, 3.89 million Macs, 9.05 million iPods and 4.19 million iPads
• All-time record for Apple of $20.34 billion in revenue for a net profit of $4.31 billion

 http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/10/18results.html

The Future Of OS X
It seems to me that since Apple is doing so well with mobile devices, they're taking what they're good at and applying it to OS X, making it more like a mobile OS:

• Mac App Store
• App Home Screens (Launchpad)
• Full screen apps

What does this mean for OS X? Hopefully it won't lose the power to run computer programs. Already, I think OS X is more like a mobile OS than Windows is, since it wakes almost instantly from sleep. Engadget also ran an article on how OS X is becoming like a mobile OS:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/07/switched-on-the-ipadification-of-mac-os/

MacBook Pro battery

For what it's worth, my MBP battery has run 106 cycles and its health is about 90%, although it drops to 88% sometimes. This means, when fully charged, it holds 90% of the charge it did when it was new. This battery is supposed to last 1000 cycles, when it will hold 80% of its charge. I hope it's not linear. Batteries are hard to test, since new ones come out before the old ones die. The new MBP batteries last 10 hours. My MBP is the mid-2009 model (the first one with a non-removable battery).

Burning DVDs with the MacBook Pro

Not only can the MBP verify discs after burning without ejecting, after burning the DVD is immediately ready for use, instead of being ejected. I prefer this instead of ejecting the DVD automatically, since I can leave and not worry about coming back to a dust-covered DVD.

Compucage Spyder notebook lock

As the MacBook Air does not have a lock slot like most notebooks, I had to find a special locking solution. It's quite surprising that no company has come up with locks for MBAs, since they're portable, expensive and Apple accessories easily sell for twice the price of normal computer accessories.
I decided on the Compucage Spyder, which is a frame similar to those used to secure display laptops. Those frames are surprisingly hard to find. I found out about the brand Compucage from one of those frames in a shop. The good thing is they have an Australian distributor.
The Spyder is very solidly built and comes with a thick security cable. I like the finishing touches of vinyl and foam so no metal comes into contact with your laptop. The key cannot be removed from the lock without locking it. An interesting thing about the frame is that it has a ratchet system so you can tighten it even if it's locked. I think handcuffs also work in this way. This means you can lock the Spyder slightly open, remove the key, then insert your notebook and tighten the Spyder without the key.

They actually sent me a bigger model than for the MBA, but it turned out to be better since this model can lock my 15" MBP as well. The model I ordered would not be able to lock 15" notebooks.

• Compact
• Vinyl and foam to prevent scratches to your laptop
• Can lock your laptop in a closed or open position
• Comes with security cable

The MacBook Pro's screen

My MacBook Pro (mid 2009) listed "an improved LED-backlit display with 60 percent greater colour gamut" (ref) but I've found these problems with the display:

The screenshot on the left is of 2 slides, so they should look the same. However, the picture on the right shows how they look on my screen. In particular, the area pointed by blue arrow is more saturated than the area pointed by the red arrow. You can test your screen by downloading the picture and displaying it full screen.

Actually, I noticed all these problems from Engadget. That place is good for testing your monitor!

In these pictures, the comment boxes appear to be all the same colour.

However, looking at an angle shows that the first box is actually the only white one.

This picture shows the transition. The left of the box, seen at an angle, is coloured, while the right, seen more directly, is white, like the first box.

MacBook Pro temperatures

The MacBook Pro can reach temperatures in excess of 90°C!

MacBook Pro wish list

• How about red LEDs for the battery indicator as well? The idea is that there'd always be a total of 8 LEDs lit, like 5 green and 3 red. I look at how many lit vs. unlit LEDs there are to gauge the power, and when it's dark it's hard to see how many unlit LEDs there are.
• Paint. Preview is nice and powerful, and it can crop and resize well, but sometimes I just want to scribble something onto a picture, even if it's with a mouse.

Magsafe power adapter.

I seem to be reading a lot about the Magsafe power adapter now, so I thought I'd post on it.

I love the design. It's the best I've seen out of all laptop adapters. It's got hooks to wind the cable around that stow away when not in use - the next best I've seen is a bit of velcro.

The cable's got a clip on the end to secure it after you coil it. You can fit a plug directly onto it (as shown), or connect it to a cable for extra length, like other adapters.

The connector's got an indicator light to show when your laptop is fully charged.
I don't really see the need for Magsafe though. There are bound to be many other cables connecting to your laptop, so people could trip on any one of them.

The reason I'm thinking about the adaptor so much now is people say using the cable is better than the plug, because the cable is earthed. In the picture where the adaptor is disconnected you can see the metal "button", and a bit of the springs in the cable. I tested the springs, and they're connected to the earth pin. I didn't check where the button is connected to, but I assume they wouldn't go through the trouble of adding an earth connection to lead to a dead end.

The main problem with this adapter I hear about is the cable tends to fray where it comes out. Eventually the insulation wears down and it short-circuits. I guess this a design flaw since the cable winders encourage you to bend the cable here. I try and leave some slack before winding the cable to avoid this.

LED screens are still LCD screens.

I wish to clarify something regarding LED screens. First, this is how an LCD screen works:

1. White light is produced
2. The light is selectively filtered
3. The remaining light forms the image

The LCD is involved in step 2. Electric signals are used to control how much light is allowed to pass through the LCD.

The difference between conventional LCD screens and LED screens lies in step 1. In traditional LCD screens, the light in step 1 is produced by a cold cathode, just like a fluorescent tube. In LED screens, the light is produced by LEDs instead. LED screens still use the LCD in step 2 - that means LED screens still have LCDs. Sometimes, LED screens are more accurately mentioned as "LED backlit".

The listed advantages of LED lighting are:

• Thinner - if the LEDs are placed at the sides of the display, it can be made even thinner
• Less power needed
• Cooler
• Achieves full brightness instantly
• No mercury
• Lasts longer

I'm waiting for LED lights to be available for homes!
It seems that LED screens are more environmentally friendly, but the liquid crystals used in LCDs are toxic. I wonder if Apple is planning to replace them?

A new type of screen, OLED, is different from these 2. In OLED screens, only the light needed is produced - there is no filtering. OLED screens are even thinner, use less power, have wider viewing angles and better contrast ratios. They can also be made flexible. The reason they're not being used for TVs and monitors yet is their lifetimes are too short.