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*

Send us a story or tip @ TipsForLimerain.com@gmail.com and follow our pages for the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com
And like our Facebook page www.iPodSets.com
- 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*

Send us a story or tip @ TipsForLimerain.com@gmail.com and follow our pages for the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com
And like our Facebook page www.iPodSets.com
- 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*

Send us a story or tip @ TipsForLimerain.com@gmail.com and follow our pages for the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com
And like our Facebook page www.iPodSets.com
- 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*

Send us a story or tip @ TipsForLimerain.com@gmail.com and follow our pages for the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com
And like our Facebook page www.iPodSets.com
- 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*

Send us a story or tip @ TipsForLimerain.com@gmail.com and follow our pages for the latest limera1n, rubyra1n, and all tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @iphonepixelpost or @limerain_com
And like our Facebook page www.iPodSets.com
- Posted using my iPhone 4

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
And like our Facebook page www.iPodSets.com
- Posted using my iPhone 4

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

You Can No Longer Upgrade the Main Hard Drive in Your iMac

Apple has taken steps to prevent any third party hard drive upgrades of the main drive in the new iMac.

Signs of this began with the 2009 iMac which required a special thermal sensor cable for each hard drive manufacturer. Now OWC has discovered that with the new 2011 iMac Apple has made it impossible for you to upgrade to a third party drive.

For the main 3.5″ SATA hard drive bay in the new 2011 machines, Apple has altered the SATA power connector itself from a standard 4-pin power configuration to a 7-pin configuration. Hard drive temperature control is regulated by a combination of this cable and Apple proprietary firmware on the hard drive itself. From our testing, we’ve found that removing this drive from the system, or even from that bay itself, causes the machine’s hard drive fans to spin at maximum speed and replacing the drive with any non-Apple original drive will result in the iMac failing the Apple Hardware Test (AHT).

In examining the 2011 27″ iMac’s viability for our Turnkey Upgrade Service, every workaround we’ve tried thus far to allow us to upgrade the main bay factory hard drive still resulted in spinning fans and an Apple Hardware Test failure. We swapped the main drive out (in this case a Western Digital Black WD1001FALS) with the exact same model drive from our inventory which resulted in a failure. We’ve installed our Mercury Pro 6G SSD in that bay, it too results in ludicrous speed engaged fans and an AHT failure. In short, the Apple-branded main hard drive cannot be moved, removed or replaced.

OWC notes that you can still add space using a secondary drive; however, if your main drive fails you have no alternative but to purchase a new one from Apple and pay them to install it via an Authorized Service Center. Also if you were planning to get a larger 3TB drive, those are aren't offered.




*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

iMac Dual external monitors, touchpad and SSD options

Previous-generation iMacs were able to drive both the internal and an external display at the same time, but the newly released iMacs are capable of driving two external displays simultaneously – in addition to the built-in display – thanks to the inclusion of Thunderbolt ports. Apple confirmed to GigaOM’s Darrell Etherington that the new 27-inchers’ two Thunderbolt ports (21.5-inch models only have one) can drive a dual external display setup.

Now, using two Mini DisplayPort adapters plugged in to the 27-inch iMacs Thunderbolt ports, users can simultaneously output to two monitors in addition to the main built-in screen of the iMac. It won’t necessarily clog up your Thunderbolt ports, either, since the tech supports daisy-chaining. That means you should be able to connect to Thunderbolt-compatible storage and then on to a display after that, too, without any loss of quality.
Macrumors was able to verify that the Thunderbolt ports can still make the iMac an external display for Blu-ray or video gaming or a cable box.

An Apple sales representative has confirmed to us that the new 27-inch models do continue to support the feature through the new Thunderbolt ports.
Engadget tested out a dual external monitor setup, seen below.




Apple also offers touchpad options allowing you to replace the included MagicMouse with either a Magic Trackpad or a wired Apple Mouse or go with both wireless MagicMouse and Magic Trackpad for $69 extra.



Also, MacStories explain that you can order a solid state drive in the second drive bay that will boot your operating system.

If you configure your iMac with both the solid-state drive and a Serial ATA hard drive, it will come preformatted with Mac OS X and all your applications on the solid-state drive. Then you can use the hard drive for videos, photos, and other files.
(we’re doubting Apple is supporting symbolic links to the hard drive for media – but maybe in Lion?)


MacRumors also notes that Boot Camp upgrade is available for new iMacs that also addresses issues with Japanese and Korean keyboards on early 2011 iMac.


*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

Apple updates iMacs with Sandy Bridge processors, Thunderbolt port, FaceTime HD camera and more

After weeks of rumor mongering and days of dried up channel inventory, Apple on Tuesday finally refreshed its iMac family. The signature aluminum and glass design remained unchanged, but a look under the hood reveals the latest Sandy Bridge processors from Intel, the new high-speed Thunderbolt I/O interface developed in co-operation with Intel, a FaceTime HD camera and storage upgrades across the board. Apple says:

Apple today updated its signature all-in-one iMac with next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, groundbreaking high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime HD camera. Starting at $1,199, the new iMac is up to 70 percent faster and new graphics deliver up to three times the performance of the previous generation.
The release quoted Apple’s marketing honcho Phil Schiller:

Our customers love the iMac’s aluminum enclosure, gorgeous display and all-in-one design. With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world’s best desktop even better.
This refresh has brought the quad-core performance of the Sandy Bridge processors to the entire family. Four new SKUs have replaced the previous models, beginning with the $1,199 entry-level 2.7GHz 21-incher and all the way up to the flagship $1,999 27-inch iMac with a 3.4GHz processors. More information and the official press release.

All models cost the same as previous models and include 4GB of RAM, IPS display technology for sharp image at wide viewing angles, an SD card slot supporting high-capacity SDXC memory cards, the wireless Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse and more.

Here’s full press release from Apple:

CUPERTINO, California—May 3, 2011—Apple® today updated its signature all-in-one iMac® with next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, groundbreaking high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime® HD camera. Starting at $1,199, the new iMac is up to 70 percent faster and new graphics deliver up to three times the performance of the previous generation.*

“Our customers love the iMac’s aluminum enclosure, gorgeous display and all-in-one design,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world’s best desktop even better.”

The new iMac features quad-core Intel Core i5 processors with an option for customers to choose Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz. These next generation processors feature an integrated memory controller for an amazingly responsive experience and a powerful new media engine for high-performance video encoding and decoding. With new AMD Radeon HD graphics processors, the new iMac has the most powerful graphics ever in an all-in-one desktop.

iMac is the first desktop computer on the market to include groundbreaking Thunderbolt I/O technology. The 21.5-inch iMac has a single Thunderbolt port while the 27-inch model features two ports for even greater expansion. Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, Thunderbolt enables expandability never before possible on an all-in-one computer. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, Thunderbolt delivers PCI Express directly to external high performance peripherals such as RAID arrays, and can support FireWire® and USB consumer devices, and Gigabit Ethernet networks via adapters. Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Freely available for implementation on systems, cables and devices, Thunderbolt technology is expected to be widely adopted as a new standard for high performance I/O.

iMac includes a built-in FaceTime HD camera and Apple’s innovative FaceTime software for crisp, widescreen video calling the whole family can enjoy. The new camera supports high definition video calls between all FaceTime HD-enabled Macs and standard resolution calls with iPad® 2, iPhone® 4, the current generation iPod touch® and other Intel-based Macs. The iMac continues to feature its signature aluminum and glass design, gorgeous IPS LED-backlit high resolution display, SD card slot and comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple’s desktop line is a leader in green design. The iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold rating.** iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac uses PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.

Every Mac comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Snow Leopard builds on more than a decade of innovation and includes the Mac App Store℠ for finding great new apps for your Mac. iLife ’11 features iPhoto® with stunning full screen views for browsing, editing and sharing photos; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use tools to transform home videos into fun theatrical trailers; and GarageBand® with new ways to improve your playing and create great sounding songs.

Pricing & Availability
The new iMac is available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 21.5-inch iMac is available in two configurations: one with a 2.5 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 500GB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US); and one with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6770M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US). The new 27-inch iMac is available in two models: one with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6770M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,699 (US); and one with a 3.1 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6970M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US).

Configure-to-order options include faster Intel Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz, additional hard drive capacity up to 2TB, a 256GB solid state drive, additional DDR3 memory and AppleCare® Protection Plan. Additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/imac.

*Testing conducted by Apple in April 2011 using preproduction iMac configurations. For more information visit www.apple.com/imac/features.html.

**Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR 5.2 energy database as of April 2011. EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

*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

Apple Store Down, here are your Quad-core iMacs

As predicted, the Apple Store went down this morning. We’ve just heard that these are the new Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt-equipped iMacs:




So there is only one 21.5-inch iMac now which starts with a Quad-Core Sandy Bridge processor and 4GB of RAM and 1TB hard drive.

The 27-inch iMacs come in three varieties starting with a 2.7GHz Quad core and going up to a 3.4GHZ Quad-Core. All three have 4GB of RAM (starting at) and 1TB hard drives.

*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

New iMac rumor pointing to a Release date of May 3rd?

Apple is rumored to be releasing updated iMacs on Tuesday, May 3rd, according to AppleInsider.

More specifically, people familiar with the matter say Apple plans to introduce the new models on Tuesday, May 3, swapping out the systems' first-gen Core i processors and miniDisplay ports for second-generation Core i chips and the company's new high-speed Thunderbolt port. However, rumors that 2011 would see changes to the iMacs' display panel size (1, 2) and the inclusion of 6000-series AMD Radeon HD chips, could not be confirmed with any degree of certainty.

A previous report said Apple has already begun delaying orders for the iMac due to the upcoming refresh.



*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

iMac supplies tighten ahead of forthcoming refresh

A good indication that an Apple product refresh is coming soon is when the respective product’s supplies begin tightening up. Most recently, this process happened with the iPad prior to the iPad 2 launch and with the MacBook Pro prior to the MacBook Pro refresh with Thunderbolt and quad-core processors. Now, it’s the iMac’s turn for a refresh. We have been told by three people familiar with the matter – all in different countries including the U.S. and an Asian country – that iMac supplies are tightening.




First, we have our friend Mr. X who provided us with the above screen shot and the following information. Mr. X says supplies for the iMac have tightened significantly, and this has never happened during the current model’s life-cycle. The data chart above shows that all four iMac models are “constrained” with no ETA for new shipments in a particular region; a very large one.

Tipsters in the United States have informed us that their iMac shipments are also very constrained. That’s not the full story though. Although actual iMac shipments are lacking, our U.S. tipsters report that actual iMac components are also very constrained. The most constrained pieces right now are the current iMac’s graphics processors and hard drives. A lack of replacement components is also a good indication of an upcoming refresh.

Next, our source in a major Asian country reports that the 21.5 inch iMacs are very constrained, more so the 3.06 GHz base model, and the other three models are very close to the constrained state. So, when are the new iMacs coming? Previous reports claim that new iMacs with faster, Sandy Bridge processing chips and Thunderbolt I/O ports are launching between late April and early May… bring them on! Thanks, Robert!

Update: Readers are asking about Mac minis and white MacBooks. Although those products are approaching the end of their life cycles, there are plenty of them still around.
*thanks 9to5Mac*

We are waiting for the Mac Mini Server edition to be upgraded, we will let you know if more develops on this story or on and further Mac hardware refreshes.


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

Apple Could Launch New iMac Alongside New MacBook Pro

Apple could launch new iMacs alongside the new MacBook Pros expected to arrive later this month, according to a DigiTimes report.

In addition to notebooks, the supply chain sources also pointed out that Apple may also launch its new iMac along with its MacBook, and the company may also make some changes over the screen size to allow panel cutting to reach its optimization.

The latest rumors have the new MacBook Pro featuring a larger trackpad, an 8-16GB SSD that the operating system will run off, a better battery, an improved display, a modular drive, and more.

The earliest expected release date is Thursday, February 24th.




*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
www.iPodSets.com
- Posted using my iPhone 4

Apple’s magic touch displays in future UIs

COMPUTERWORLD: You’ll turn round one day and realise that, with iOS and OS X devices connected at their UNIX core, you don’t just have a series of diverse products, you also have a unified, infinitely flexible and powerful computing platform.


*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
www.iPodSets.com
- Posted using my iPhone 4