I really do like the bumper with the iFixit transparent back!

Let me explain. The key moment of the story is when I used the updated Apple Store app on my phone to scan the barcode on the bumper package and pay for it online using my Apple account. No one in the store saw me do this, and I opted to receive my receipt through e-mail. I’m still not sure how Apple plans to keep shoplifters at bay.

Maybe I need to explain a little more what is happening here. Apple was one of the first companies to do away with fixed cash registers at the front of the store, opting for mobile payment devices in the hands of their “associates” on the floor. Now they have implemented do-it-yourself payment called “EasyPay” using the iPhone in just about every customer’s pocket.

"Thank you for walking out with merchandise without talking to us!"

The combination of in-store network connectivity, a high quality built-in camera, and perhaps the most complete database of customer credit cards in existence allows Apple to introduce a really revolutionary shopping experience. But is it revolutionary in a good way? I definitely felt like I was doing something wrong, even though I waited for my confirmation e-mail and PDF receipt before walking out of the store.

Supposedly, store management and associates are notified whenever a customer buys something in this manner. But how could they possibly know who it was? There’s no way they could locate a phone in the store with that kind of granularity, and I didn’t see any indication that the app snapped a picture or otherwise identified me. Maybe store security just isn’t looking out for middle-aged guys acting suspiciously with iPhone bumpers.

I’m still nervous about paying for things at the Apple Store in this way. But it’s hard to deny the speed and convenience of the transaction. I was in and out in just a couple of minutes and never once talked to an employee. Maybe I’ll get used to it, or maybe Apple will decide that it really wasn’t such a good idea after all. But I paid for my bumper. Honestly, I did. And it looks great with the new transparent iPhone 4S back plate from iFixit!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | A Nerve-Racking Revolution at the Apple Store
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Apple has slashed the prices for new and refurbished first-generation iPads

Apple announced the new iPad 2 today, and will begin selling the new device on March 11 in the USA. Predictably, they are clearing out the original iPad models, and there are some great deals to be had!

The refurbished 32 GB and 64 GB WiFi models seem to be the best deal right now – $529 for a 64 GB model is really an amazingly great price! And $100 off all the new models should shut down sales of competing devices for the coming week.

Just head over to the Apple online store and pick your favorite new or refurbished model!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | Great Deals on iPads (for now)
This post was categorized as Apple, Deals. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

My new MacBook Pro was up and running with my data in less than an hour, thanks to Google and Dropbox!

I replaced my trusty MacBook Pro last week, the latest in a series of upgrades stretching back over 25 years. In the past, moving to a new computer is a time-consuming process of installing applications and moving data. But things were different this time: I still had the installs to do, but most of the data migrated on its own.

A Cloud of Data

Like many people, I’ve spent years unconsciously integrating my workflow with cloud applications and services. My email was first, and moving it to Google’s servers pulled my calendar and contacts along as well. This kind of data “wants” to live in the cloud, where it can be accessed on my phone, laptop, desktop, or any web browser I happen to be seated in front of.

Over the last few months, I have begin to use Dropbox to mirror my documents off-site. A clever trick allows this cloud-based repository to keep multiple computers in sync as well, and I recently set it up between my desktop iMac and the old MacBook Pro.

My only portable data set that still doesn’t live in the cloud is the collection of music and movies I like to take with me. The iMac maintains a massive iTunes repository on my Drobo, but I like to take a few thousand songs and a few movies and TV shows on my laptop as well. It seems ironic that this data is so stubbornly local, considering that, for the most part, it purchased and downloaded from a cloud service!

That’s It?

The majority of my data migrated automatically to my new computer

Just after buying my new 2011 13″ MacBook Pro, I sat down in a cafe next to the Apple Store to have a look. I was still in range of the Apple Store guest network, so the laptop was already online. I typed my information into Apple’s Mail, Contacts, and iCal applications and watched as Google re-populated them automatically.

But even I was surprised at the ease of moving the rest of my daily data. I downloaded the Dropbox client and entered my credentials. In moments, my entire Documents folder began filling up, and the astonishingly-quick Apple network made short work of a decade of content. By the time I finished my smoothie, I was up and running.

Stephen’s Stance

The ease of this migration is simply amazing: I was up and running quicker than I could have driven home! Google and Dropbox made short work of my “working set” of data, and I could have been literally anywhere on the planet. How times have changed!

Once I returned home, I fired up rsync to pull over the iTunes library and I was ready to retire the old machine. To be on the safe side, I pulled the 640 GB hard disk drive out of the old MacBook pro and installed it in an external enclosure. I’ll replace it with another drive and re-install Mac OS X before handing it down to a family member.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | How Google and Dropbox Revolutionized My Laptop Migration
This post was categorized as Apple, Everything, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

The new Apple MacBook Pro lineup is here! Here's why I bought one!

Yesterday, Apple refreshed the entire MacBook Pro line. Although the new machines look identical to the old ones, massive changes were made below surface. I have been waiting to upgrade my now three-year-old Santa Rosa-based MacBook Pro, and seize the opportunity yesterday to pick up a brand-new 13 inch model. What made me pull the trigger? Read on!

New Guts, Old Glory

There were many rumors ahead of yesterday’s launch regarding a new case design for the MacBook Pros.  Many suggested that Apple would introduce an all-new wedge-shaped case reminiscent of the recently launched MacBook Air, or even a thinner and lighter shell using the ”liquid metal”  technology they recently acquired. Instead, the new MacBook Pro line looks exactly like the previous one, complete with a machined aluminum unibody enclosure.

Underneath that skin, however, just about everything has changed. Where the “Arrandale” Core i5 and i7 CPUs used in the previous 15 inch and 17 inch MacBook Pros diverged from the “Penryn” Core 2 Duo used in their 13 inch brother,  the new MacBook is all “Sandy Bridge” inside. These second-generation Core i5 and i7 CPUs include many performance improvements, as we will discuss in a moment.

Another major area of improvement, and one which I have been waiting for for quite a while, is the addition of Intel’s Thunderbolt high-speed I/O port. Apple’s refusal to adopt USB 3, and their substitution of an SD card reader for the ExpressCard slot  found on the 15 inch model, left these supposedly high-end computers with pathetic I/O capabilities. I simply would not buy a new computer with a measly two USB and one FireWire port!

Stepping up to Sandy Bridge

Intel’s tick-tock strategy of new product introductions has served the company well for a decade. Each year, the company moves to a new smaller silicon process technology, increasing transistor density, performance, and energy efficiency in what is known as a “tick”. Then, in the “tock” phase, Intel moves to a new processor microarchitecture, complete with new instructions and features.

In this tick-tock strategy, Sandy Bridge is a “tock”, with new features that deliver performance gains beyond obvious clock speeds. Sandy Bridge features architectural improvements for performance, faster integrated graphics, and new instructions that will likely be used by Mac OS X in the future.

The company also made improvements to the underlying architecture, allowing faster performance than previous generation at the same clock speed. Independent tests have shown that Sandy Bridge processors perform 15 to 20% better than the previous generation at the same clock speed. Additionally, Sandy Bridge CPUs are capable of overclocking higher than previous generations when only one core is in use.

In practice, Sandy Bridge powered computers like the new MacBook Pro should be noticeably quicker than those using first-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, and should leave the old Core i3 and Core 2 Duo machines in the dust.

Graphical Changes

One of the most important advancements and Sandy Bridge after is the integration of Intel’s HD graphics processing engine with the CPU itself. These graphics processors run at full CPU speed, and can even be overclocked when the CPU cores are idle. Lower-end desktop processors in the Sandy Bridge line make do with just six graphics processing engines, but all mobile Sandy Bridge processors include a full 12. This means that every mobile device using Intel’s built-in graphics processing will perform well.

In tests performed by AnandTech, the Intel HD 3000 graphics included in the mobile Sandy Bridge processors perform competitively with low-end discrete graphics solutions. Although Apple continues to use a powerful discrete graphics engine in the larger MacBook Pros, the 13 inch model, it’s basic integrated graphics, should still perform well enough for office productivity and light gaming tasks.

The full-size MacBook Pro includes a discrete graphics card in addition to the Intel HD 3000 GPU. This time around, Apple has switched from Nvidia to AMD as a graphics card supplier, and the new Radeon HD 6490M and high-end 6750M should perform well indeed.

The 13 inch MacBook Pro retains the same 1280 x 800 screen resolution, a disappointment compared to the 1440 x 900 screen found on the 13 inch MacBook Air.  Although the 15 inch model starts at the same 1440 x 900 resolution as my old MacBook Pro, a 1680 x 1050 screen is available as a build-to-order option.  The 17 inch MacBook Pro uses a glorious 1920 x 1200 display.

Introducing Thunderbolt

For me, the most important change in the new MacBook Pro line, is the introduction of Intel’s Thunderbolt high-speed I/O interconnect. The familiar Mini DisplayPort connector found on the side of these machines functions normally, allowing an external monitor (or iMac) to be connected. And that’s about all that will be connected for the time being.

But, like a super hero, this new enhanced “Thunderbolt” port has a secret identity: Attach a special Thunderbolt-compatible device, like LaCie’s forthcoming Little Big Disk, and it transforms into an amazing high-speed I/O bus. As I discussed in detail yesterday, Thunderbolt opens a whole new world of possibilities for buyers of the new MacBook Pro.

Indeed, Thunderbolt is the one piece of technology I had been waiting for before upgrading from my old MacBook Pro to a new model. I have high hopes for this technology, and expect that we will see a number of compelling peripherals appear in the coming months.

Stephen’s Stance

The new MacBook Pro lineup from Apple is something of a paradox:  Ordinary buyers may not see a compelling reason to upgrade, since most of the changes are under the skin and too technical for them to grasp. Indeed, while shopping at the Apple Store yesterday, I observed another buyer examining the previous generation 13 inch MacBook Pro still on display. When the Apple Store associate told him about the new model that had just come out, his words were disheartening: ”It’s pretty much exactly like this one, just a little bit faster.”

Truth be told, the new MacBook Pro line from Apple is different and better from those that went before in many important ways. The performance of the Sandy Bridge CPU and graphics chips used is noticeably better, and the new Thunderbolt port is important bridge to the future. As this technology spreads throughout the Apple line, buyers will be glad that they waited until now to purchase a MacBook Pro.

In the next post in this series, I will discuss my own decision point explaining why I selected a base model 13 inch MacBook Pro instead of the larger and more powerful 15 inch model I had previously used. I will also benchmark and discuss the performance and capabilities of this new machine.

Note: Some of these links include affiliate codes that help pay for this blog. For example, buying an Amazon Kindle with this link sends a few bucks my way! But I don't write this blog to make money, and am happy to link to sites and stores that don't pay anything. I like Amazon and buy tons from them, but you're free to buy whatever and wherever you want.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | 2011 MacBook Pro Review: Introduction
This post was categorized as Apple, Everything, Features, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Update: The priority waiting lists are apparently a thing of the past. We are back to calling around, hoping to find one in stock.

Despite the widespread reports of antenna issues, many people still want an iPhone 4. So many that there are none available for walk-in customers even a month after launch! But it is possible to get one. Here’s how!

Head into your nearest Apple store. They won’t have any available, so ask to get on the priority list. They will email you the afternoon before a phone becomes available. Then you have to get in to the store before the end of the next day.

Simple? Here’s the trick: When you’re in the store, hop on one of the computers and use the following URL to get on a second store’s priority list.

http://reserve.apple.com/WebObjects/ProductReservation.woa/wa/reserveProduct?lang=en&country=US&prelaunch=MC536LL_A

You can only reserve one iPhone per store, but this doubles your chances. You don’t have to buy the phone when it comes up – just ignore the reservation or cancel it online.

Note: This URL won’t work anywhere but inside an Apple Store! It’s not really much of a trick – the employees will help you do this if you ask!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | How To Get an iPhone 4
This post was categorized as Apple. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" deliveries begin on August 28!

Although Apple’s web site clearly states that Snow Leopard “Delivers on August 28th,” it is unclear if other sources will be so punctual. We definitely expect Apple Stores to have plenty of stock on Friday morning, but what of Amazon.com pre-orders? Will they also deliver on Friday, or will those of us who pre-ordered there have to wait a few days for this undercover upgrade?

Who Gets What

Snow Leopard is really a major jump forward in terms of advanced hardware and software integration. It brings Grand Central, OpenCL, full 64-bit mode, and QuickTime X along with Exchange support and many tweaks. But many of these features are highly hardware-dependent, so not all Mac users will get everything.

Here’s a cheat sheet I put together based on Apple’s documentation:

This table is based on the following facts:

1. Snow Leopard only supports Intel-based Macs. PowerPC Macs need not apply.
2. Booting Snow Leopard in 64-bit mode requires 64-bit EFI, and many pre-2007 Macs have only a 32-bit EFI. You can check your Mac (and help me fix my table) by typing “ioreg -l -p IODeviceTree | grep firmware-abi” in a Terminal window. If it says “EFI64″, your system is capable of running 64-bit Snow Leopard (though it can still run 64-bit apps). But Snow Leopard defaults to 32-bit mode on ALL Macs other than the Xserve at this point, and no one is sure why!
3. Grand Central Dispatch requires a multi-core CPU. This eliminates the original base-model 2006 Mac Mini, since it used a single-core CPU.
4. OpenCL requires newer Nvidia or the ATI graphics chips. This leaves out many pre-2008 models and some iMac and Mac Pro configurations. Check Apple’s list if you’re not sure.
5. QuickTime H.264 Hardware Acceleration only works with the Nvidia 9400M chipset. This leaves out many pre-2008 machines and even the latest Mac Pros, though they probably have enough horsepower on their own.

Finally, if you’re excited about the new Microsoft Exchange support in Mail.app, iCal, and the Address Book be warned! In order for any of this to work, your server must be running Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 Update Rollup 4. And most companies still aren’t updated that far!

Update: Check my follow-up post on 64-bit Snow Leopard for more about this controversial aspect!

I’m Updating!

I held off on Amazon and placed my own order this morning with Apple. I’m with Mark Twomey:Upgrading to Snow Leopard is a safe day-1 activity. Most of the updates amount to new under-the-hood features and the OS has been through round after round of testing. Unlike the massive shift from Tiger to Leopard (which I missed, being a late switcher), Snow Leopard ought to be a lesser upgrade.

Why make the update at all? Here are a few of my reasons:

1. It’s cheap: Just $29 to update a single Mac, or $49 for up to five. Compared to Microsoft’s (expired) “limited-time-only” (and incredibly complicated) Windows 7 upgrade, Apple sets out a red velvet carpet.
2. It’s easy: There’s just one version of Mac OS X, and any system running OS X 10.5 “Leopard” can update to full-on Snow Leopard. There are no editions and no conflicts updating from 32-bit to 64-bit (like Windows 7).
3. It future-proofs your (Intel) Mac: Mac developers have a long history of quickly leveraging new OS X features since Mac users have a long history of quickly upgrading. Snow Leopard adds cool stuff like Grand Central and OpenCL that my Intel- and Nvidia-based Macs ought to be able to leverage. See below if your Mac can use these, too!

Sure, there aren’t any amazing features like Time Machine to set the world on fire. But the Snow Leopard update is still a slam-dunk for any Intel-based Mac user! My Late-2007 MacBook Pro will get everything but H.264 acceleration and my 2009 Mac Mini is all set to go!

Updated with Mac Mini and Xserve information. Keep the suggestions coming and test that EFI! Picked up, colorized, and reused (with permission) by the excellent Ed Bott in his ZDNet column!

Note: Some of these links include affiliate codes that help pay for this blog. For example, buying an Amazon Kindle with this link sends a few bucks my way! But I don't write this blog to make money, and am happy to link to sites and stores that don't pay anything. I like Amazon and buy tons from them, but you're free to buy whatever and wherever you want.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2009. | Mac OS X 10.6 “Snow Leopard”: In Our Hands August 28!
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

This post is part of my series focused on switching from PC to Mac.

• How To Buy Discount Apple Computers
• Got Some AppleCare For Cheap
• Switch! or How the Mac (Finally) Won Me Over
• Switch Day 1: This Mac is Hot!
• Switch Day 58: Ten Pros and Cons of the MacBook Pro

Do Not Want!

First, let’s talk about what not to buy:

1. If you want the best price, do not walk into your local Apple or Best Buy store and pick up a system.  They always charge full retail plus sales tax (where applicable).  Of course, the friendly selection and purchase process at the Apple store might be worth a few hundred to some people, but my own visits were simply reconnaissance - helping me pick which model to buy and choose between the glossy and matte screens.
2. Do not buy a model near the end of its life.  Check the MacRumors Buyers’ Guide to see whether the model will be replaced soon.  Your best deal will be on discontinued models, but if you want the latest system, remember that Apple generally does not discount current models as they age.  A notable exception was the recent price drop on the top-of-the-line MacBook Air with the solid-state disk.
3. Do not expect to get a dime knocked off a build-to-order system from Apple.  You can sometimes get interesting configurations from resellers at some discount, however.
4. Buy the minimum RAM configuration.  Apple is notorious for gouging on RAM upgrades – they currently charge $200 for 4 GB of RAM, twice as much as you would pay for the chips alone.  And it’s easy to upgrade RAM in almost all Apple systems.
5. Don’t bother spending extra for a larger hard drive.  Here again, you can get a much better deal if you shop around, and you can probably buy a bigger drive than anything Apple offers, too.  My MacBook Pro is packing 320 GB, and it wasn’t that hard to upgrade.
6. Don’t waste your time looking for a great deal on MacBook batteries or power adapters.  These things are notoriously unreliable and never discounted much.  Just buy them from Apple.
7. Finally, since customer support is such a major factor in the Apple switch, only buy from authorized resellers.  You don’t want to get shafted with a grey-market device when you need service.

Getting Your Deal

Ok, so what should you look for?  Here’s my take:

1. My best advice:  Consider an “outdated” system.  My MacBook Pro is the previous model, without the multi-touch trackpad or Penryn CPU, but it was manufactured in April, two months after the new model was introduced.  Apple continues making old models, and MacMall and MacConnection blow them out for about 20% less than their original price.  This is your best source for discounted Apple computers!
2. Pick your system and configuration and stick to it.  Find out the model number – I bought an MA895LL/A, which is a Late-2007 15″ MacBook Pro with a 2.2 GHz CPU and matte screen.  It can get really confusing with different product generations sharing the same common name, but you can’t go wrong with the official MA/MB model number!
3. Check the Holy Trinity: Amazon, MacMall, and MacConnection.  Price the whole thing out, including shipping and tax if applicable.  One of these three will almost certainly have the best deal.
4. If you qualify for an educational discount, find out what the price would be and use this as a benchmark.  For current systems, this is probably the best price.
5. Apple’s online clearance store sometimes has good deals on refurbished systems.  But you have to keep checking and act fast!
6. Watch out for rebates.  Although they’re unreliable, and you have to stay on top of them to make sure you get the money, this is the primary discount vehicle for Apple systems.  So you have to grin and bear it.
7. Consider bundles.  Amazon offers discounted AppleCare, MacConnection offers free VMware Fusion, and MacMall offers free Parallels.  If you want these things, this can seal the deal.  But I bought Fusion and left Parallels on the table at MacMall, and you can add AppleCare at any time in the first year.

Note: Some of these links include affiliate codes that help pay for this blog. For example, buying an Amazon Kindle with this link sends a few bucks my way! But I don't write this blog to make money, and am happy to link to sites and stores that don't pay anything. I like Amazon and buy tons from them, but you're free to buy whatever and wherever you want.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2008. | How To Buy Discount Apple Computers
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.