Dennis Cadorniga

Today Apple updated the aluminum unibody MacBook Pro line to include 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch models featuring Apple’s innovative built-in battery for up to 40 percent longer battery life. Each MacBook Pro includes an LED-backlit display with greater color intensity, the innovative glass Multi-Touch trackpad, an illuminated keyboard, an SD card or ExpressCard slot, a FireWire 800 port and state of the art NVIDIA graphics. Apple also updated the incredibly thin and light MacBook Air, making it more powerful and more affordable.

Apple today also introduced the new iPhone 3G S, featuring improved speed and performance—up to twice as fast as iPhone 3G—longer battery life, a high-quality 3 megapixel autofocus camera, easy to use video recording and hands free voice control. iPhone 3G S includes the new iPhone OS 3.0, with over 100 new features such as Cut, Copy and Paste, MMS, Spotlight Search, landscape keyboard and a new Find My iPhone feature that works together with MobileMe to help you locate a lost iPhone.

Yet another release today was Safari 4, the world’s fastest and most innovative web browser. Available for Mac and Windows PCs and introduced as a beta in February of this year, Safari 4 features the Nitro engine which runs JavaScript up to 4.5 times faster than Safari 3. Safari 4 makes browsing more intuitive and enjoyable with innovative features, such as Top Sites, Full History Search and Cover Flow, and support for modern web standards like HTML 5 and advanced CSS Effects.

And finally, Apple today unveiled Mac OS X Snow Leopard, an even more powerful and refined version of the world’s most advanced operating system that includes hundreds of refinements, new core technologies, out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange and new accessibility features. Snow Leopard will ship as an upgrade for Mac OS X Leopard users in September 2009 for $29. Apple also unveiled a Developer Preview of Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard, a full 64-bit UNIX server operating system based on open standards that is up to twice as fast as its predecessor.

written by Dennis \\ tags: 3GS, Apple, iPhone, iPhone 3GS, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Safari 4, Snow Leopard

Recommended for all those using Aperture 2, the Aperture 2.1.3 Update — available as a free download from the Aperture site or the Apple support site — improves overall stability and provides fixes for issues related to database integrity and compatibility with specific file types.

written by Dennis \\ tags: Aperture, Apple, update

Google’s Calendar now supports the CalDEV protocol allowing you to synchronize your Google Calendar with iCal.  They also synchronize with other mobile devices as well.  For complete details, check out the link on Gmail’s blog.

written by Dennis \\ tags: Apple, Calendar, Gmail, Google, iCal

Apple today released a new line of MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops.  New unibody construction technology is used to stamp out the cases from a single block of aluminum.  On the MacBook line, they have lowered the entry point of the current model to $999.  The new MacBook looks similar to the aluminum MacBook Pro but in 13.3″ display size.  Processor speeds have been increased, more DDR3 RAM is included, larger hard drives, and much improved graphics processors from Nvidia.  There is now a glass touch pad with 4 finger gestures.  For complete descriptions and options for the new MacBooks, please visit the Apple site.  They also released a new MacBook Air and 24″ Cinema Display.

The new MacBook family redefines notebook design while dramatically lowering the entry price for advanced notebook features, including all-metal enclosures, pro-performance notebook graphics, brilliant instant-on LED-backlit displays, and new large, glass Multi-Touch trackpads. The industry’s greenest notebooks, the entire MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0, EPEAT Gold, and RoHS environmental standards. Starting at $1,200, the new MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro are shipping now.

The new LED Cinema Display features a stunning 24-inch LED-backlit widescreen display with built-in iSight video camera, mic, and speakers in an elegant, thin aluminum and glass enclosure. Available in November for $899, the LED Cinema Display includes an integrated MagSafe charger, three USB 2.0 ports and a new Mini DisplayPort.

written by Dennis \\ tags: Apple, MacBook, MacBook Pro

I have downloaded the new 2.1 version of firmware for the iPhone.  Instantly, I already noticed a huge improvement in speed.  Backups are much faster.  The iPhone now feels like it did when it ran 1.4 as far as responsiveness and stability. So far, I highly recommend it.  You can get it via iTunes when syncing your iPhone.

written by Dennis \\ tags: 2.1, Apple, firmware, iPhone

Apple today released the 4th generation iPod nano. They doubled the memory capacity for the same price as the previous model and added a 16GB model. For a complete description of all the new technology added to the new nano, check out Apple’s nano site.

Apple also refreshed their iPod Classic and a new iPod touch. They also released some new iPod accessories and iTunes 8.0 with new Genius function.

written by Dennis \\ tags: Apple, Classic, iPod, nano, touch

I started my morning by plugging in my Verizon Wireless USB720 EVDO modem into my Cradlepoint WiFi/EVDO router.  Booted up my MacBook Pro, plugged in my first gen iPhone and checked for updates.   There it was.  2.0.  I selected Download Only to make sure that step was verified.  I downloaded the 213mb file in 27 minutes, averaging 45KB/sec and reaching 96 KB/sec.  

Once the download finished, I took the plunge and started my upgrade.  The main process of the upgrade finished in about 20 minutes which included backing up the iPhone data, verifying the backup, restoring the new firmware, verifying the firmware, and then restoring my data back to the iPhone.  Then the time came to reboot the phone.

The iPhone reconnected back to iTunes and now came the activation process.  This is were it all went down hill.  Apple was having issues with the iTunes Store activation process.  Apparently, too many people trying to do the same thing.  So then, I had to wait and see when the iTunes Store would be back up to finish the activation.

iTunes store back online, activation processed immediately, now I am done.  Upgraded and working well!  All my content is back.  Pretty smooth I would say.

written by Dennis \\ tags: 2.0 Firmware, activation, Apple, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iTunes

Apple released an upgrade to iTunes in preparation for the launch of the iPhone 3G set to be available tomorrow morning at 8:00am.  The new version of iTunes (v7.7) now sports the AppStore where you can download and purchase applications for the iPhone.  

Moreover, at any moment, the updated firmware for first generation iPhones is set to be released (v2.0).  Apple also today launched the new .Mac service renamed MobileMe.  To visit any of these mentioned technologies, follow the hyperlinks.

written by Dennis \\ tags: Apple, AppStore, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iTunes, MobileMe

At today’s WWDC 2008 in San Francisco, Apple made it official. They announced the new iPhone 3G which will be available July 11th. It is now thinner, lighter, faster, and less expensive. It now has 3G for faster online access, GPS, much improved audio quality, version 2.0 of the operating system allowing 3rd party applications, half the price, and now available in black and white. For more details, check out the Apple iPhone 3G site.

written by Dennis \\ tags: 3G, Apple, iPhone

Here are some blogs and live streams of where to monitor Apple’s WWDC 2008 announcements:

Ustream.TV feed with Cali Lewis
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/on-location-with-cali

Ustream.TV feed with iPhone Alley
http://www.iphonealley.com/news/wwdc-2008-keynote-live-audio-stream

Engadget’s Blog
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/09/steve-jobs-keynote-live-from-wwdc-2008/

written by Dennis \\ tags: Announcements, Apple, WWDC, WWDC 2008