The HW in the iPhone 5 is pretty spectacular, they put a lot of work into it.

Hopefully they have a software update in the pipeline that really takes advantage of it.

As an owner of literally the highest-end rMBP money can buy, they can't really push this much further. The GPU barely can push all the pixels in the retina display, they are hobbled by what ATi/nVidia can push out at this point.

You won't see a retina iMac until late next year AT BEST, because if a 15" Retina is at the edge of what current tech can do, I don't see a 20-30" Retina being feasible any time soon.

The iPhone was a hit in large part because Apple waited until mobile processors and GPUs could be put in phones and provide a really nice experience. THe next big thing is going to be when the hardware reaches the next revolutionary step (probably something related to battery capacity or power usage is my guess).

But, i do agree Apple is going to be struggling to keep its momentum. You can't look at the history of how Jobs brought Apple from the brink and argue he was just another businessman. It's not going to be easy for Apple to coast without him, let alone keep advancing.

My gut feeling is that Cook isn't going to remain CEO for years to come, he'll HAVE to be replaced with a "product person."

9/26/2012 12:34:10 AM

Goddammit, I want to go Mac...I have 2 iPhones and can't use fucking iTunes on Linux...and my 3-year old netbook isn't even powerful enough to, say, playback a GoPro clip (and the hard drive has been noisy enough for months now to make me concerned), but I'm not dropping the cash for a new iMac until they get the Retina display.

Why the fuck would anyone care if a desktop computer is 1" thick instead of 2" thick or whatever? There isn't really any noteworthy hardware upgrade from what I'm seeing. Maybe that means the answer is to grit my teeth and buy a refurbished last-gen iMac once the new ones hit the stores and finish driving the older refurb prices.



As far as I'm concerned, the new iMac doesn't cut it (especially after having double the normal update cycle), the iPad Mini is a half-assed solution in search of a problem, and the iPhone 5 is nice but basically just catches Apple back up with their competition (save iOS and the Retina display, which, as always, are compelling).

I mean, they aren't disasters or anything, but I'm not wowed like I used to be by Apple's stuff. I'm undecided as to whether I want to sell my AAPL stock--while I'm disappointed and want more substance in the hardware department, I'm sure they'll sell shitloads of iMacs and iPad Minis, no matter how pointless a thin deskop or a small, cheap, shitty iPad are...and I guess that's what matters from a shareholder perspective.

[Edited on October 23, 2012 at 11:26 PM. Reason : ]

10/23/2012 11:26:29 PM

What don't you like about the new imac? It seems like a great upgrade, you can't really expect much better.

The new Mac Mini and iPad Mini are underwhelming though I think.

10/23/2012 11:48:36 PM

That new iMac is sexy as hell

10/24/2012 12:14:30 AM

How is the new iMac an upgrade? A marginal processor and storage bump. Marginal display improvement. Taking away the optical drive.

Margins improvements, weight reduction on a form factor isn't weight limited, removal of the optical drive with the same pricepoint as the previous gen that had one. I agree, very bleh. Same for the Mac mini

10/24/2012 12:32:18 AM

It's much faster overall, the fusion drive gives you the best of both worlds without hassles, and the new bonded screen design is going to be brighter, sharper, and have less glare. USB3 too.

Other than a truly different form factor or retina display (which current GPUs can't really push), there's not much else you can ask for in that upgrade.

10/24/2012 12:50:21 AM

^Fusion drive is a software feature.

The 2011 iMac supported SSD + HDD configurations as well. Fusion drive should just be a software function of OSX. Selling an entirely new system on that is ridiculous. And there's not much, if any "hassle" there in the first place. As a person who has been using SSD + HDD configs on both my personal and work desktops for over a year now, I can say it has been a hassle exactly 0 times.

"brighter, sharper, with less glare"

How much brighter is even usable? The 2011 had a 375nit display, which isnt even usable over about 50% brightness, and the 2012 model is "300+ nits".

Sharper? Its the same size, with the same resolution, with the same underlying panel (IPS).

Less glare? The way to reduce glare is with a MATTE screen, something definitely not on the 2012 iMac.

USB3? They already have/had thunderbolt ports which are faster. Apple MADE thunderbolt specifically because they didn't think USB3 was good enough.

It's not "much faster overall" either. The top-level cpu option is EXACTLY the same as last year's model (a 3.4ghz quad core i7) with the base models getting 100/200mhz bump on the same core i5 processor as last year. Video got a minor bump too. Memory is finally 8gb standard, but last years model was easily upgradable already.

---------

I agree, there's not a whole lot they can do without radically updating the iMac. But taking away the optical drive in the name of weight and "thinness" is fucking stupid. And then essentially leaving the rest of the system functionally the same as it has been since 2009 doesn't help either. Same processor models, same drive configurations, same panels.

10/24/2012 3:49:21 AM

Quote :

"As an owner of literally the highest-end rMBP money can buy, they can't really push this much further. The GPU barely can push all the pixels in the retina display, they are hobbled by what ATi/nVidia can push out at this point."

This is a silly comment. Even the mid-range GPUs they stick in MBPs can handle far more resolution than what's on one retina display. Wasn't there a video of someone hooking 2 additional monitors up to a MBP? Any GPU limitation is Apple's not AMD/Nvidias. There's always more powerful mobile offerings from both companies and Apple has yet to ever offer high end graphics in any of their computers.

In fact the new 13" MBP doesn't even have discreet graphics whereas their older MBPs had a discreet graphics solution that was faster than Intel's HD 4000 solution.

10/28/2012 11:28:34 AM

Yeah I've been waiting on an iMac redesign FOREVER, but this new shit is superficial and weak. I'm not paying the premium price just for aesthetics--I mean, the last place in the world anyone should care about slim form-factor is on a desktop (when the outgoing model was already pretty slim).

I'm gonna go refurb, I think, but I'm not sure if the prices will come down more if I wait until Black Friday or when the new iMacs actually hit the shelves (I'm assuming no on the former, yes on the latter). Also, I'm not sure if I want to go MacBook Air or iMac...

About the only thing I really need big computing horsepower for is DAW (probably Logic).

10/28/2012 2:51:27 PM

Quote :

"The GPU barely can push all the pixels in the retina display, they are hobbled by what ATi/nVidia can push out at this point"

bullshit. I have a lenovo of the same form factor as the mbp with 1gb discrete nvidia, that should be available to apple just the same, that will run 4 accelerated displays, including my 27" 2560x1440 display.

10/28/2012 4:01:28 PM

You can get more powerful mobile GPUs with most other laptop manufacturers. I will reiterate people aren't buying Apple because they offer premium powerful computers - it's because they're encased in pretty aluminium and run OSX.

10/28/2012 4:41:28 PM

People buy MBPs because they are well designed, well built, and simple machines that come with the added feature of not having to fuck with Windows. Sure, you're free to compare spec for spec a Lenovo to a MBP, but when it comes to weight, fit and finish and overall quality, the MBP kicks a Lenovo of most premium PC's ass.

10/28/2012 4:56:19 PM

that's pretty much all incorrect.
aircraft aluminum hinges, magnesium composite lid, active hard drive protection from gyro, MATTE screen, user replaceable battery with better life, and 2 real mouse input devices that don't require really stupid multitouch gestures (though that usability pattern is supported) - make the lenovo a better designed and built unit, offering higher quality at a lower weight because it's not encased in aluminum.

Quote :

"Sure, you're free to compare spec for spec a Lenovo to a MBP, but when it comes to weight, fit and finish and overall quality, the MBP kicks a Lenovo of most premium PC's ass."

I have no idea what this even means.

10/28/2012 6:39:38 PM

^sorry but I couldn't disagree more. I work in Lenovo laptops everyday for the past three years, and have a MacBook at home (wife's laptop). I enjoy the Lenovos I've owned quite a bit, they are great business laptops.

But the Apple laptops are worlds better in terms of fit, finish, material use and usability. The trackpad on MacBooks is 100000x better than ANY PC trackpad I've ever used, which is dozens and dozens of different models. It's laughable to even try to compare them.

10/28/2012 8:25:44 PM

Quote :

"make the lenovo a better designed and built unit, offering higher quality at a lower weight because it's not encased in aluminum. "

Well, since Lenovo has about 30 different models, I guess I should pick one that's about on par with Apple's $1,800 15" MBP.

So, I'll go with the T540 and spec it as closely as I can with the MBP

For that, I had to bump the CPU up to a Quad Core Intel Core i7-3610QM, the same CPU as the MBP. I left the graphics the default (no other options, comes with NVIDIA NVS 5400M, which is an underclocked Nvidia 540m). The HDD is a 7200 RPM on the Lenovo vs 5400 RPM on the Apple. The Screen Resolution is 1600 x 900 for the Lenovo and 1440 x 900 for the MBP. Battery life is about comparable for the two. The Lenovo is 5.6 lbs and the MBP is 5.6 lbs.

The Lenovo is a wider and thicker laptop (topping at 1.4" compared to the MBP's uniform 0.95"). It is not quite as deep as the MBP though.

The Lenovo still comes with the tiny trackpad that's on the edge of usable, the battery sticks out from the back, the screen is inferior to the MBPs, and the GPU is far inferior from the MBPs.

However, it is $600 less than the MBP, and you do get a matte screen.

There is the W530. When I configured it to the lowest 15" MBP, with the same CPU, an Nvidia K2000M (offers similar performance to the GT 650M), 4 GB RAM, 500 GB 5400 RPM HDD, the price climbs to $1560, the weight climbs to 5.95 lbs and I would need to add on a 9 cell battery to get the same/similar battery life as the MBP (which also increases the weight and width). The dimensions are the same as the T530.

The point still stands though, that the MBP isn't just some overpriced laptop that people buy because it is pretty. It is a well built, fully featured laptop that can most certainly compete with Lenovo. The people who say shit like the MBP being for people who want a pretty laptop are the same people who wish Apple had a cheaper laptop. But the fact is that Apple doesn't make Dell or HP quality laptops. They make laptops that is on par with Lenovos.

[Edited on October 28, 2012 at 8:43 PM. Reason : Shortened. too much of my bullshit.]

10/28/2012 8:42:38 PM

no one posted about it, but i like the responsiveness and overall layout of iTunes 11

12/3/2012 12:19:53 PM

So my 4 year old Thinkpad T61p may have finally bit the dust (logic board issue) and I would be in the market for a fast, portable, business-grade laptop. Initially loved the rMBP and still do based upon the features and hardware offered. Does anyone here own one? If so, is it worth grabbing instead of maxing out a new Lenovo and saving a few bucks?

12/3/2012 12:55:58 PM

get the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon that is coming out with a touch screen

12/3/2012 1:11:28 PM

I've got the 15" rMBP from work. As with all Apple products, you pay a premium for the name. Getting OSX is worth it to me though, but I'm a *nix guy so have something UNIX based was a plus. The 13" rMBP isn't worth it to me because you lose a dedicated GPU to move down a couple inches in size. The prices are close enough that, unless you're needing that smaller form factor for portability, the 15" is definitely worth the slight increase in price.

I think at this point, your decision comes down to OS as much as anything else. The hardware on the MBP is definitely sufficient for what you want to do with it in most cases. A Lenovo is probably going to net you more for your dollar, but you are going to (most likely) be running Windows.

12/3/2012 3:47:04 PM

I haaaate the new iTunes UI.

12/3/2012 3:57:44 PM

^ i did for about 5 minutes, but i actually enjoy it a lot more now.

12/3/2012 4:02:52 PM

Songs view, turn on sidebar, turn on column browser.

12/3/2012 6:20:35 PM

I can't wait for their next innovative move... different colored iPhones!

12/3/2012 6:45:16 PM

I have hated every version of iTunes that I have ever used (which is only 2-3 of them, to include the current one).

12/3/2012 7:17:15 PM

i haven't been truly happy with any music player since winamp 2.x

12/3/2012 10:33:48 PM

I love Foobar.

12/3/2012 10:36:16 PM

^^ It really kicked the llama's ass.

12/4/2012 12:26:18 AM

I've been happy with Zune

12/4/2012 6:06:58 AM

Quote :

" The hardware on the MBP is definitely sufficient for what you want to do with it in most cases. A Lenovo is probably going to net you more for your dollar, but you are going to (most likely) be running Windows."

Not if you want one with a similar resolution display.

pretty much every laptop with a 1900x1200 display is going to be in the $2k range. the vast majority of all laptops are between 1440x900 and 1600x1050, which is shitastic. the "high res" laptops are 1900x1080, which is less shitty.

side rant: I HATE HATE HATE that displays in general have "standardized" at 1900x1080.

12/4/2012 11:29:52 AM

1920*

Eh you can get nice laptops/ultrabooks sub-$1000 that have 1080p displays. Zenbook Prime is an example. ~$950 for a 13.3" 1080p display with an SSD, and i5. Brother just picked one up. Solid ultrabook. Feels sturdier and more solid than the Macbook Air IMO.

12/4/2012 11:37:58 AM

I bet in few years one of those won't have a battery life >45 min

12/4/2012 1:23:45 PM

1080p is not the same as 1900x1200. it may seem trivial but those 120 vertical pixels make a huge difference if you're doing stuff other than watching movies.

But, given that consumers buy laptops for entertainment rather than productivity, it's obvious why nearly all manufacturers don't make many displays over 1080p. and 1080p sucks for doing work.

12/4/2012 2:24:06 PM

the standard laptop now is not 1080p, its 1366x768 and its fucking awful

12/4/2012 3:16:20 PM

Quote :

"1080p is not the same as 1900x1200"

1920* Not 1900.

I actually don't mind. I have 2 1920 by 1200 displays and 1 1920 by 1080 display for my primary desktop and you get used to it.

^Eh you mean small ultrabooks? Most laptops are much higher than that.

12/4/2012 4:22:13 PM

No, I mean your average consumer laptop. Head to Best Buy and take a look, they will only have 1 or 2 that is not 1366x768. How anyone thinks that's an acceptable resolution for a 13" or 15" laptop is beyond me.

[Edited on December 4, 2012 at 4:49 PM. Reason : or just go spec one online, you almost always have to pay more for not 1366x768]

12/4/2012 4:48:35 PM

um yeah, wtf, i did know it was 1920.

12/4/2012 9:56:08 PM

How did they manage to take iTunes and make it even worse? The UI in iTunes 11 is pissing me off so much

12/6/2012 3:54:44 PM

Quote :

"i haven't been truly happy with any music player since winamp 2.x"

me too

12/6/2012 4:27:35 PM

ended up grabbing the base model Macbook Pro Retina 15.4" today. Enjoying it so far though trying to find the OSx equivalent of what I normally do in Windows is challenging. Also, havent gotten used to the keyboard yet...I could fly on my T61p keyboard. Screen is amazing though and the computer flies.

12/8/2012 2:56:16 PM

Quote :

"Apple’s iOS Maps app is so bad it can kill you, Australian police warn By Zach Epstein | BGR News – 3 hrs ago Apple’s (AAPL) iOS Maps application is terrible. We all know it. The service is so bad that CEO Tim Cook issued a public apology shortly after it launched, and vowed the company would right the situation as soon as possible. It has only been a few months since Apple launched its Google Maps replacement and while that’s not much time to overhaul such a massive undertaking, the company probably wishes it could have improved the service before Australian authorities issued a public warning saying Apple Maps is so bad, it might kill you. “Local Police have been called to assist distressed motorists who have become stranded within the Murray-Sunset National Park after following directions on their Apple i-phone,” police in Victoria, Australia said in a public warning issued on Monday. “Tests on the mapping system by police confirm the mapping systems lists Mildura in the middle of the Murray Sunset National Park, approximately 70km away from the actual location of Mildura.” The warnings continued, “Police are extremely concerned as there is no water supply within the Park and temperatures can reach as high as 46 degrees, making this a potentially life threatening issue. Some of the motorists located by police have been stranded for up to 24 hours without food or water and have walked long distances through dangerous terrain to get phone reception.” Apple’s Maps app has been called a lot of things, but seeing the solution is called “life threatening” by a police force has to be a tough blow for Apple, which regularly uses the phrase “it just works” when describing its products and solutions. Victoria police note that they have had to rescue a total of six people over the past two months who because lost and stranded while navigating using Apple’s Maps application."

12/10/2012 12:51:29 PM

^This could also be filed here: http://thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=376822

But yeah, this is why you don't change what works.

12/10/2012 2:07:17 PM

Quote :

"Apple’s (AAPL) iOS Maps application is terrible. We all know it."

When an article starts like this, that's how you know you've got some quality journalism on your hands.

12/10/2012 7:11:47 PM

It's pretty bad.

I've been giving it a good chance, using it as my primary navigation (which i use a lot because i'm terrible with directions), and it's horrible in terms of its mapping data (i really like the UI though-- for the most part).

3 of the past 5 directions were wrong.

2 of them were SO FAR OFF, i had to try and use google maps to get back on track (the Safari based Google maps sucks for navigation).

I've been trying to submit corrections, but I don't think is a problem Apple can crowd-source away, which is what their public statements have hinted at so far. Not to mention that Map's search is complete crap (i normally have to google the thing i'm looking for, then copy/paste or type the address into Maps).

Data is Google's bread and butter, Apple I don't think has the ability to match them on this. I'm not sure how Apple thinks it can squeeze Google out of their eco system. Apple is great at UX, Google is great at data, the best thing for the consumer is for them to get along, but we're probably past the point of no return on that.

Google's nav on Android wasn't perfect, but I at least knew if it got me lost, it could get me unlost.

At this point, I have 0 faith in Apple's Maps. It's ability to detour/reroute intelligently is non-existent (something my 10 year old hardware GPS can do). Once you're lost, you're screwed, and doubly screwed if you're in a place with no signal. Apple has a LONG ways to go to catch up in this area.

[Edited on December 10, 2012 at 9:02 PM. Reason : ]

12/10/2012 9:00:18 PM

Quote :

"it's horrible in terms of its mapping data (i really like the UI though-- for the most part)."

That was my biggest point. I wouldn't expect the average user to know the difference between the app itself and the data behind it. I would expect someone that makes their living writing tech articles to know the difference however. The app itself is pretty awesome. The data behind it is hit or miss depending on your area.

12/10/2012 9:17:07 PM

Quote :

"Also, havent gotten used to the keyboard yet...I could fly on my T61p keyboard. "

It took me a month or so to really get used to it, but once I have, I actually prefer the spacing on the MBP more than I do my previous laptops. Glad that you're liking it so far. Make some friend's with other Mac users and you'll have a million suggestions for comparable apps to whatever you used in Windows.

A guy I work with is a huge Apple fan boy, so I just ask him "What is similar to ______ on OSX" and he will reel off 2 or 3 things that work well enough for me. Gotta love those long time Apple fans.

12/10/2012 9:34:33 PM

i'm that guy at work/anywhere. it's good to have long term experience in multiple OSs.

12/11/2012 12:05:26 AM

Quote :

"The app itself is pretty awesome. The data behind it is hit or miss depending on your area."

To a consumer, why is this distinction important? It's not.

12/11/2012 7:09:47 AM

Maybe not to the massive sheep of apple fans, but for a tech writer who would call themselves an "expert" should have known better. If the app's UI and abilities are refined, but the data for search parameters is lacking then really the fault should be blamed on releasing a product that wasn't vetted properly.

12/11/2012 8:42:07 AM

What i don't get is that they're using TomTom data.

Are TomTom gpses really this bad too?

12/11/2012 1:21:23 PM

they aren't only using TomTom data, the use multiple sources and when combining them you introduce a lot of problems if you don't doing it right

12/11/2012 1:25:42 PM