Apple’s 3D Display & Imaging patent could lead to Kinect-like gestures for future Apple TV

Apple was just granted a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office (via Patently Apple) detailing 3D display & imaging technologies that could potentially lead to advanced Kinect-like navigation through performing gestures or manipulating holographic images within a virtual 3D space.

Essentially, this would allow you to perform hand gestures within a virtual space while your hands are displayed on a screen, allowing for precise manipulation of on-screen elements.

The patent’s inventor also notes that these imaging technologies could be used for presence detection, head tracking, and auxiliary display capabilities as well. We can’t help think of Kinect-like gaming for a potential future Apple TV, although the extent of the gestures and tech described in the patent goes well beyond current implementations.

As Patently Apple notes, the “virtual elements have no real physical embodiment” but could potentially take advantage of holographic technology that the same inventor outlined in a previous Apple patent. The application could also include audio feedback. For example a clicking sound when pressing a button within the virtual space would provide confirmation of the action.

Patently Apple explains:

“a user would place his or her left hand 120 and/or right hand 122 into the imaging volume or space. The hands would then be detected by the scanning beam. A left hand image 124 and a right hand image 126, respectively, would then be projected by the projection beam onto the display area to provide immediate feedback to the user concerning the relationship between the user’s hands and the various virtual objects within the imaging volume or space. Thus, as depicted, the user could grasp one of the knob images with the left hand by moving the left hand until the left hand image indicates that the selected virtual knob (not shown) represented by the corresponding knob image has been engaged. The knob could then be grasped and manipulated such as by rotating the knob.”
One can only imagine the implications this could have on games and business apps running on a future Apple TV. However, it appears the tech could be used as a global navigation method rather than geared towards a specific application. The patent even touches on potential uses for mobile devices such as an “interactive virtual keyboard” that would detect “finger locations and moves”.


*thanks 9to5mac*

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Intel not dismissing rumors of Apple’s notebook transition to ARM chips

Earlier today my colleague Jordan Kahn told you about a story ran by the Japanese hit-and-miss blog, Macotakara, which in a nutshell calls for a brand new Mac product family. It is being described as radically “different from current products”, so much different in fact that Apple might market the mysterious products under a new product name. Well, Intel’s hearing those rumors as well! Their Ultrabook director Greg Welch specifically told CNET they’re very well aware of the reports involving MacBook prototypes rocking Apple’s own silicon based on ARM’s processor blueprints:

We hear the same rumors and it would be remiss of us to be dismissive. We endeavor to innovate so they’ll continue to look to us as a supplier.
We wouldn’t bet on the “continue to look to us as a supplier” part. So thought IBM until Apple ditched the PowerPC architecture and made a bold switch to Intel processors in 2005. So, is 2012 going to be like 2005? Only time will tell, but it’s intriguing that an Intel executive would actually comment on the rumors, don’t you think?

That, in and of itself, is significant enough to warrant a post for the sake of the discussion. If you do believe your rumors, Apple’s testing ultra-thin MacBook prototypes that sport ARM chips and might not contain Intel’s Ivy Bridge platform at all. The benefits?

Think thin, really thin, and power-savvy. ARM Holdings, a UK-based fables silicon firm, is known for power-efficient CPU designs they license to other companies. The vast majority of today’s mobile devices are based on ARM blueprints rather than Intel’s inefficient mobile processors. The world’s largest processor maker is very well aware that it fell behind in the mobile race. The company has not anticipated an explosive growth of smartphones and missed out on an opportunity to make up for lost ground with tablet chips. Today, if you’re building a tablet or a smartphone, you’re either Apple and therefore use in-house designed processors, or buy your chips from Nvidia, Samsung, Qualcomm or Texas Instruments. All those suppliers share one thing in common: The CPU part of their system-on-a-chip package is based on ARM’s blueprints. Apple, an early investor in ARM in the late 1980s, has a lot of experience incorporating those designs into their products, from the Newton PDA which was based around the ARM6-based ARM 610 architecture to the A4 and A5 chips. The A4 chip sports a single-core ARM Cortex-A8 CPU core paired with a PowerVR SGX 535 graphics processor built on Samsung’s 45-nanometer silicon chip fabrication process. The A5 has a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU with Neon SIMD accelerator and a dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics unit. Both chips are believed to benefit from performance enhancements developed by chip designer Intrinsity, acquired by Apple in 2010.


*thanks 9to5mac*

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Apple was this close to releasing a 3G MacBook Pro

It’s a glaring hole in Apple’s MacBook line:The ability to access 3G (4G?) networks without tethering or using a 3G hotspot. Apple CEO Steve Jobs told the USAToday in 2008 that the reason that he didn’t want to build that functionality into MacBooks was that it invited complexity and locked users into a carrier.



Air does not come with the built-in ability to connect to a speedy wireless data network run by various cellular carriers. Jobs told me last week that Apple considered it but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier.
When Jobs says “considered it”, this is what he means:

An Ebay auction today (via MacRumors) shows that Apple was getting ready to release such a MacBook Pro – all the way back in 2007.
.
The prototype Santa Rosa MacBook Pro has a SIM card slot which is identified as a Dynastream ANT2USB card. In the US, that would have worked on T-Mobile or AT&T as well as many international GSM carriers. The seller originally bought it from a Craigslist ad as a non working machine for parts. Upon opening it, he realized that this was no ordinary MacBook Pro (if the huge antenna didn’t give it away!). He got the machine into working order (thought 3G is not tested) and is selling it as-is, “no guarantees”.

It isn’t certain why Apple never opted to go with a 3G option in any of its Macbooks. Perhaps the complexity and the numbers never made sense. Now that almost everyone carries a Personal Hotspot capable phone in their Pocket, it may not ever make sense.

Full Gallery and seller story below:








History and Details:

This laptop was originally purchased from Craigslist as a non-functional parts machine. Upon removing the top case it was immediately clear this was no normal Macbook Pro: the circuit boards inside were bright red as opposed to the normal blue! Further inspection found multiple differences from the stock version, most notably a feature never seen in a Macbook laptop of any kind: what appears to be a fully integrated cellular modem and SIM slot. There is an extendable cellular antenna located at the right top side of the display assembly (The antenna is marked with “Tyco Proto / #006″ when slid out), and a standard size SIM card slot located underneath the memory cover on the bottom of the machine. The SIM card board is connected to the logic board via a connector not found on production machines. The solder footprint for it is still present on the production boards and not populated, which is interesting. This would seem to suggest that it was a last minute decision to remove the cellular functionality before going into mass production. The optical drive is marked as a “Sample for Evaluation”. Rather than a normal EMC Number the specifications lapel simply says “XXXX”, and the serial number does not show up in Apple’s online database. Rather than use the machine for parts I of course had to put the time into repairing it to its original condition and see what happened!

After repairing the original red logic board and adding RAM, a hard drive, and battery the machine was again fully functional. It installed the OS without any problems, and behaves as any other Apple machine. I have used and tested it extensively and everything seems to be in excellent working condition. It is installed with OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard, and as it identifies itself as a normal Macbook Pro it should also run Lion without issue. Physically the machine is in surprisingly good condition, though it does have normal signs of wear from being used (minor scuffing and scratches, etc). There are no major dents or dings or scratches and from the outside the only thing that distinguishes it from a normal Macbook Pro is the antenna. Please note that the hard drive, battery, ram, and Magsafe adapter are not the original ones that came with the machine, as I received it without them present. The battery is third party rather than Apple original, though identical in form and function. It holds excellent charge. The hard drive and ram were purchased brand new for this machine.

The biggest question of course is the cell network data functionality. I have unfortunately been unable to get it working with my SIM card, though it is seen by the operating system and recognized as a modem device usable to connect to the internet with various configuration options. It is entirely possible it can be made to work by someone with more software and driver experience than myself but I can make no guarantees. It could be that there was an additional board originally that was not included with this machine, or that Apple could not work out a contract with a carrier for data service (Perhaps AT&T did not want something sure to be a bandwidth hog on its network), or simply that no driver exists. There are too many unknowns . . . . it is entirely possible it never worked, and there is no way to know without finding someone directly involved in the development of the hardware and not under an NDA. According to the seller (whom I contacted again after realizing what the machine was) he used to work as an engineer at Apple and received the machine for software development work. He was allowed to keep it when he left, and since had used it as a personal machine until it stopped functioning and he sold it to me. He says that he never personally saw the cellular data functionality working and does not know any more about it, as it was not related to his work. All my conclusions are solely speculation based on the hardware present and OS response and should not be taken as fact.

*thanks 9to5mac*

The idea of adding the external antenna with a MagSafe type connection would be amazing on an iPad. The iPad has a weak wifi antenna and it's located in the worst place( the charging port), if you cover the antenna you will loose your signal. An external antenna would do wonders on a iPad.

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

iMac for Education notes of interest

Yesterday, we broke the news that Apple was launching an ‘iMac for Education’ with downgraded specs to the education market for $999. It was originally scheduled to be released toward the middle of the month (August 16th was set to be release date – and it still is when they hit the streets), but with the cat out of the bag, Apple went public with the details today.

As per usual, our man Mr. X, was spot on with details revealing:

3.1GHz Intel Core i3 Dual-Core, 21.5-inch LCD
AMD Radeon HD 6750 with 256 MB, 2GB RAM
250GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive, OS X Lion

Some interesting notes about the machine:

It appears to be a hybrid between this year’s model and last year’s with slower processors and this year’s video card
No Thunderbolt underscores that these are aimed at labs and kiosk type situations. Even Apple’s $599 entry Mac Mini now has Thunderbolt
Half the RAM at a paltry 2GB seems absurdly low. Again, this screams “kiosk!” Interestingly, Apple says the upgrades are “only configurable at the Apple Store” but lists RAM modules to the sides (right).





We’re told that this is the Education price of 1 of these machines and there are additional price drops at volume with the machine quickly hitting $899 in bulk and below (EDUs talk to your Apple rep!)
For those jealous of the EDU-only pricing, Apple still offers the previous model refurbished with the exact same specs (but twice the RAM, older GPU) for just $929.

*thanks 9to5mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Apple to release sub-$1000 21.5-inch iMac geared at education customers. Update: Released!

Update (Aug. 8th): Following our report, Apple has gone ahead and released it!. Interestingly, no Thunderbolt and RAM not upgradable?!




Apple is gearing up to launch a new addition to the iMac lineup later this month that appears to be geared towards education/volume customers. The new iMac has less power than the current line of all-in-one Apple desktop computers and also has less storage space. The computer packs a last generation 3.1 GHz dual-core processor (3.06 GHz rounded up), 2 GB of DDR3 RAM, 250 GB of hard drive storage space, and the AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics processor with 256 MB of dedicated memory.

This lower-end iMac obviously has much less horsepower than the current iMac line and should be priced as such. For comparison, the entry level 21.5-inch iMac features a 2.5 GHz quad-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard drive, and the same AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics processor but with double the dedicated memory at 512 MB. This entry level 21.5-inch iMac is priced at $1,199, so don’t be surprised to see this less-powerful machine with a sub-$1000 price tag. For reference, Apple’s last education-geared iMac was priced at $899. A similar (more RAM, worse graphics) refurbished model is currently priced at $929 (pictured below).



Apple is expected to silently release this new machine later this month. As always, thanks Mr. X.

*thanks 9to5mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Ruling Whittles Down HTC’s Patent Case Against Apple

If HTC thought its acquisition of S3 would be a handy club with which to beat down Apple’s patent infringement attacks, it best think again.
A U.S. International Trade Commission judge has ruled that some of Apple’s Mac computers do infringe two of the four patents S3 asserted against the company. But it also ruled that Apple’s iOS devices do not and that Macs running Nvidia GPUs have an implied license to use them.


In other words, the iPhone and iPad are no longer at risk for an importation ban if things go sideways for Apple in this case. And neither are any Macs protected by that implied license I mentioned earlier. Really the only infringing products at issue in the case are Macs with Intel GPUs. So worst case scenario, if the ITC’s initial ruling should be upheld, Apple could presumably switch its Mac line over to Nvdia GPUs and dodge an ITC ban. Which significantly blunts S3′s helpfulness to HTC in its ongoing IP war with Apple, as Litigating Apple’s Matt Macari suggested last week.
“As S3 goes, so goes HTC — at least when it comes to using the S3 acquisition as leverage against Apple,” Macari, an IP attorney, wrote. “Such a turn in events would effectively put HTC back where it was before it purchased S3, forcing HTC to face Apple’s initial ITC win head on.”




*thanks All things Digital*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

How to Show the User Library Folder in Mac OS X Lion

Apple has hidden the user Library folder by default in Mac OS X Lion. These are instructions on how to make it visible again.



Step One
Launch a new Terminal window from your Applications:Utilities folder.



Step Two
Type in chflags nohidden ~/Library/ into the Terminal window and press Enter.



Step Three
Voila, your Library folder will now appear in your Finder window.




NOTE: If you don't want to permanently make the Library folder hidden you can also just hold down Option and click the Finder Go menu to reveal a quick link to the folder.



*thanks iclarified*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Apple Recalls Some iMac 1TB Seagate Hard Drives

Apple has announced a iMac 1TB Seagate Hard Drive Replacement Program.

Apple has determined that a very small number of Seagate 1TB hard drives used in 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac systems, may fail under certain conditions. These systems were sold between May 2011 and July 2011.

Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) will replace affected hard drives free of charge. Apple is contacting affected iMac owners who provided a valid email address during the product registration process to let them know about this program. If you have not been contacted, but think you have a 1TB Seagate hard drive, you can enter your serial number at the link below to see if it's part of this program.




*thanks iclarified*

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New Apple hardware and What you need to know

The old Cinema Display (left) had three USB ports on the back and required a cable with separate power, USB and Mini DisplayPort connections. The new Thunderbolt display (right) adds Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800 and Thunderbolt, all fed to a computer via a single Thunderbolt cable (in addition to three USB ports, built-in microphone and FaceTime HD camera).

We take it you’re still digesting the new hardware Apple has released this morning. Before you grab that credit card, here are some observations you may wanna take into consideration.

MacBook Airs
• Built-in FaceTime camera has not been upgraded to high-definition. As a result, you are not able to FaceTime in HD with people who use the latest iMacs or MacBook Pros, which sport a FaceTime HD camera

•Based on the description from Apple ”And because we place the flash chips directly on the logic board, they take up much less space — about 90 percent less, in fact.” , it sounds like the SSD is probably no longer upgradable via OWC and others (thanks commenter)

• Just as previous, RAM is soldered directly on the motherboard so configure your machine carefully because you won’t be able to upgrade RAM yourself later
• Just like with the previous generation, the 11.6-incher lacks an SD card slot found on the 13-inch model
• Last year’s models got a significant discount today

• New Airs sport Bluetooth 4.0 compatibility versus Bluetooth 3.0 in the previous generation, which gives you low-energy wireless Bluetooth transfer within a short range of up to 50 meters, per this Wikipedia article
• New MacBook Airs can use Firewire and Gig Ethernet! If you hook up your new MacBook Air to that latest Apple Thunderbolt Display, you will enjoy the ultimate simplicity because a single Thunderbolt cable is all you need to charge your notebook and transfer data from your monitor’s Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800, an additional Thunderbolt port, three USB ports, a FaceTime HD camera, 2.1 stereo sound and a built-in microphone. Perhaps Apple will release a Thunderbolt to GigE, Firewire, etc. standalone adapter.

• On the Thunderbolt Displays, the old MagSafe would have been a better match, because the new one has to be bent around (see the image below) for MacBook Pros

• Additionally, On MacBook Airs, the Thunderbolt port and MagSafe are on opposite sides of the keyboard meaning that cable is going to Y-Out behind the computer.




The new Thunderbolt Display comes with a new MagSafe adapter, which has to be bent around the computer rather than going straight on, like the old MafSafe adapter could have

Mac Minis:

- Losing the Superdrive might be a dealbreaker from some mediacenters. You can always get a USB drive or hook up with a refurb which are now starting at $469
- At 1.4 inches thin, these are now 1U rack mountable for server installs. At 7.7 inches only 2 will fit side by side. Still better for Colos however.
- Non-server Minis get Discrete Graphics besides the much faster Sandy bridge. There was some concern that they would use Integrated Graphics like the 13-inch MacBook Pros and new Airs.
- With new Thunderbolt Port, you can now hook up a chain of displays and have an HDMI port left over nice for multi-monitor setups.
- Mini gets faster 1333 RAM, still user upgradable via bottom. Apple offers 4GB, after marketers will offer 8GB or more
- SSD is an optionOWC is offering a HDD, SSD combo!
We’ll be updating the post with more information as we discover it. If you spot bits and bops about the new MacBook Airs or Mac Minis worth sharing with other readers, tell us in comments.



*thanks 9to5mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Apple drops the White MacBook, still in refurbished if you need one

It appears that Apple has dropped the White MacBook from its lineup today with the release of its new MacBook Airs. Searching for White MacBook still brings up cached pages but going to them yields the Mac Homepage.




For those who like plastic, you can still pick up a White MacBook in the refurb store for $849.

So ends Apple’s relationship with Polycarbonate Macs.


*thanks 9to5mac*

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Apple unveils MacBook Airs with backlit keyboard, Mac minis without optical drive

Apple Store has been down since late yesterday and a lot of folks have been keeping their credit cards ready for new products. Well, Apple has just upgraded Mac minis and MacBook Airs featuring the latest Sandy Bridge processors and Intel’s speedy Thunderbolt I/O technology. As a bonus, Cinema Displays have been refreshed with Thunderbolt technology as well. In line with 9to5Mac’s report, the new MacBook Air family finally features backlit keyboard. Just like before, the new MacBook Airs come in 11.6-inch and 13-inch flavors, each is available in baseline, more powerful and build-to-order flavors.



The base line 11.6-incher includes a 1.6 GHz processor, 2GB RAM and 64GB of flash storage and the pricier model doubles RAM and storage. Note: Because the memory is soldered onto the motherboard, you must decide on RAM at purchase time. The same goes for storage, configurable only at the online Apple Store. The entry-level 13-incher sports a 1.7 GHz processor, 4GB RAM and 128GB of flash storage while the more expensive 13-inch MacBook Air doubles the storage to 256GB. Build-to-order options for both 11.6-inch and 13-inch models include a 1.8 GHz chip, 4GB RAM and 256 GB of flash storage for 13-inchers. Note that a 1.8 GHz processor and 256GB flash storage upgrades are the firsts for the 11.6-incher. All models run on Intel’s HD Graphics 3000 processor with either 256MB (11.6-inch machines) or 384MB (13-inchers) of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory. Another thing worth mention: The built-in FaceTime camera has not been upgraded to high-definition. Go past the break for information about the new Mac minis and nice press shots.





The new Mac minis include Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 chips, new AMD Radeon HD 6630M discrete graphics and Thunderbolt I/O, delivering “up to twice the processor and graphics performance of the previous generation”. This time around, however, the minis come without an optical disc drive. Instead, you can access the optical drives on other PCs and Macs or hook up an external MacBook Air SuperDrive if you’re feeling old century. The new lineup has the same aluminum design like its predecessor and measures 7.7-inches square and are 1.4-inches thin. The entry-level model includes a 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 2GB RAM and a 500GB hard drive storage. The pricier machine has a 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM and a 500GB hard drive, with build-to-order options including a 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor, up to 8GB RAM and a 750GB hard drive with an option to add or replace with a 256GB solid state drive. The server variant with Lion Server included runs a 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and comes with 4GB RAM and dual 500GB hard drives, with build-to-order options including 8GB RAM, two 750GB hard drives or up to two 256GB solid state drives. Customization options on all models include up to 8GB RAM, a faster 7200 RPM hard drive and a 256GB solid state drive. The entry-level Mac mini retails for $599. The more powerful model will set you back $799, or $999 for the server version . Both machines are available for order today via the online Apple store and in stores tomorrow.


















*thanks 9to5mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Apple Store online just when live!

Mac OSX Lion is up, get downloading!

The new MacBook Air both have a i5 core processor and for 11.6" flash is now upgradable to 256gb, and 4gb of ram. More details in next post.

The new Mac mini also features a i5 core processor for both base models, with the more expensive model upgradable to an i7. Both are configurable to 256gb SSD and up to 8gb of ram. The New Mac Mini features an i7 processor and configurable to a dual 750gb HDD OR 256gb SSD & 750gb HHD, and up to 8gb of ram. More details in next post!

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Apple online store is down for upgrades

It seems that there are big upgrades coming this morning to the apple online store. The Apple online store has been down for a little while now and if the rumors are true we should see: new MacBook Air, New MacMini, new White plastic MacBook, New Thunderbolt LED Cinema Display, and of course Mac OSX Lion. We will update you ASAP on all of the new devices and their features. Make your last minute guesses now in the comments!




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Best Buy to Match Apple's Back to School Promo?

Best Buy will match Apple's Back to School special by giving a $100 Best Buy Gift Card to eligible customers, according to MacRumors.

Apple recently launched their 2011 Back to School promotion. Instead of the typical iPod giveaway, Apple is now offering a $100 iTunes/App Store gift card instead. We've been told that Best Buy will be matching this promotion with a $100 Best Buy gift card for the same qualifying customers. This is an unadvertised promotion, so customers will have to ask for it specifically.

If you can verify this offer let us know in the comments!






*thanks iclarified*

Our new Forum is now open here or on the top tabs marks Forums, please register and post.. For the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com
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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Lion Server only $49 in July on the Mac App Store

In addition to OS X Lion’s arrival in June for $29, Apple will be releasing OS X Lion Server in July for $49 on the Mac App Store. Lion Server includes several features like iPad File Sharing, Push Notifications, Wiki Server 3, iCal Server 3, Mail Server 3, and Xsan.
*thanks 9to5Mac*

Our new Forum is now open here or on the top tabs marks Forums, please register and post.. For the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com www.iPodSets.com
- Posted using my iPhone 4

Mac OS X Lion has a new redesigned login screen, Reading List, new wallpapers, more

Mac OS X Lion developer preview 3 features some new enhancements including a redesigned login screen, the previously detailed Reading List feature in Safari, some new wallpapers, and other minor tweaks. The redesigned login screen above has an iOS-like feel to it with a silver-gradient backdrop and new icons across the bottom for sleep mode, restart, and shut down. (Thanks, Daniel). For those interested, we have a video of the new login screen and boot animation in action.


The previously detailed Reading List feature in Safari is also present with a eyeglasses icon on the left side of Safari (location is possibly user customizable). Click the small icon and the fairly-intutive user interface, shown above, will appear. The Reading List displays items you have read and have yet to read, in an iOS style box format.

We have also been told that the new Lion developer release packs in some brand-new wallpapers including an actual lion. We’ve put screenshots of a few of the new wallpapers below.

New wallpapers! (there are many more – here’s the download link):








*thanks 9to5Mac*

Our new Forum is now open here or on the top tabs marks Forums, please register and post.. For the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com www.iPodSets.com
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Shootout confirms: Latest iMacs are a “best buy” for Apple gamers

You may have heard of BareFeats, right? You know, the mad scientists types that agonize over clock frequencies, fill rates and hardware stats so you don’t have to. They’re out with a comprehensive gaming shootout pitting the latest iMac family against Sandy Bridge MacBook Pros and current-gen Mac Pros. They specifically focused on graphics performance in games by measuring Portal 2 frame rates at various quality settings and resolutions. Their take?

The new 2011 iMacs run latest games very well despite their mobile AMD graphics being actually slower than Nvidia’s flagship mobile chip. The 2011 iMac family is a “best buy” for gamers, the site concluded. Read on for additional explanation and another chart proving their point.

On overall, BareFeats argues, the flagship current-gen 27-inch iMac runs Portal 2 less than a third slower (28 percent) compared to the top-of-the-line six-core Mac Pro equipped with the AMD Radeon HD 5870 graphics. However, the Mac Pro system is seventy percent pricier than its iMac counterpart. This means that iMacs offer the best value/performance ration for gamers than any other Mac system. Moreover, they noted, “you don’t even need the Core i7 version of the 2011 iMac to run games well” because the 3.1GHz Core i5 iMac packs in the same AMD Radeon HD 6970 graphics as the 3.4GHz Core i7 model.

On the other hand, if you already own a Mac Pro, for a $449 (or a fraction of the cost of an iMac) you can supercharge your gaming machine.
Hit the source link for comprehensive benchmark results and more pretty charts.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

Our new Forum is now open here or on the top tabs marks Forums, please register and post.. For the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com www.iPodSets.com
- Posted using my iPhone 4