In 2009, Tristan Schaap received the chance of a lifetime when he was offered an internship by Apple’s Platform Technologies Group. During his time interning with the company, Schaap was part of a team that was secretly attempting to port Mac OS X to the ARM architect, according to his Bachelor thesis published by Delft University of Technology. ARM-based chipsets are currently used in in Apple’s mobile devices while its computers use Intel processors. The thesis was originally embargoed due to t...

The magnetic MagSafe connectors Apple uses on its MacBook laptops was first introduced in 2006 and it has become a signature design element used across all Apple notebooks, but MagSafe technology is about much more than just aesthetics, of course. Rather than using cable and port combinations with male and female connectors that can wear down or pull a notebook computer off a desk when a cable is accidentally stepped on, Apple’s solution marries the power cable and MacBook charger port using small mag...

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published documentation on 22 recently granted patents for Apple on Tuesday. The patents, as reported by Patently Apple, cover items including clothing technology that could be built into future running shoes, the advanced multitouch trackpads found in Macbooks, and the technology found in Apple TV. The most intriguing patent relates to Apple’s Nike + iPod product. This patent outlines a system for monitoring and controlling user exercises with a sensor inside the ...

Apple, a company known for its secrecy, has released a list of its official suppliers for the first time ever. Due to backlash from human rights groups, Apple created a supplier responsibility page on the company’s website. Previously, the page only featured labor and human rights, worker health and safety, environmental impact, and general ethics information. The company has updated the page, however, and it now now includes a list of more than 150 different companies that supply parts for Apple p...

Following the early successes of its of 11-inch and 13-inch ultrabooks, Acer has reportedly decided to build a brand new 15-inch ultrabook that may dramatically undercut the price of Apple’s rumored 15-inch MacBook Air. DigiTimes said Wednesday that Acer has already contracted Pegratron to build the new computer, and that the device could be priced as low as $699 — $300 cheaper than the entry-level 11-inch MacBook Air. The latest rumors suggest that Apple could be prepared to deliver its 15-inch MacBo...

Apple may currently be prepping a huge display upgrade for its MacBook Pro line of notebook computers that would be on par with the bump from its iPhone 3GS display to the Retina Display on the iPhone 4. Citing sources from within Apple’s component supplier chain, DigiTimes on Wednesday reported that Apple will add new display panels to its MacBook Pro laptops in 2012 that pack a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800 pixels. The new displays would quadruple the resolution of the current 1,440 x 900-pixel screen ...

Apple is on track to become the No.1 PC vendor in the world next year according to new projections. Market research firm Canalys on Monday announced that it expects Apple to pass current top vendor Hewlett-Packard before the end of the first half in 2012. This estimate includes iPad sales however, while most firms omit tablets from their PC figures. Solid iPad sales propelled Apple into the No.2 spot last quarter according to Canalys, and it will overtake HP some time before July next year if sales continue t...

A patent awarded to Apple on Wednesday points to one possible solution the company might use once it finally equips the first MacBook computer with tablet-like functionality. The unique design described in the new patent uses a clutch barrel pivoting component that serves two purposes, Patently Apple reports. First, it houses two embedded antennas that provide integrated cellular connectivity. More interestingly, however, its design allows the laptop’s display to be rotated and folded down on top of the...

Apple’s MacBook shipments are expected to remain strong during the fourth quarter of this year, DigiTimes reported on Tuesday. There has been a bit of speculation that the company’s shipments might be affected due to flooding in Thailand, which has impacted hard drive manufacturing, and a recent order for the company’s chassis supplier to freeze its production line. The chassis supplier, Catcher Technology, was reportedly ordered to stop production in October over concerns that the company...

Apple may launch an ultra-thin 15-inch MacBook laptop as early as the second quarter of 2012 according to a new report. Components for the new notebook have already begun shipping, DigiTimes reported on Tuesday, though details are extremely limited for the time being. The site’s nameless sources say that components started moving this month in small volumes, perhaps for test runs of the new computer. As was the case when earlier reports emerged regarding the new laptop, it is unclear if this new model w...

Apple is designing a new 15-inch MacBook model that will offer an ultra-thin MacBook Air-like design, Macotakara said recently. We heard a similar rumor in July that suggested Apple had already entered late testing stages with the device. It remains unclear if Apple will introduce a 15-inch MacBook Air or if the new model will be a thinner MacBook Pro model. Apple currently only offers 13-inch and 11-inch MacBook Air models, so it is possible the company is adding a larger laptop to the mix. Apple currently o...

Apple on Tuesday reported its earnings for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2011. Wall Street was expecting revenue of $29.5 billion and earnings of $7.29 per share. The company delivered revenue of $28.27 billion and earnings of $7.05 per share. Apple sold 17.1 million iPhones, 11.1 million iPads, and 4.89 million Macs. While this was Apple’s biggest September quarter ever, the company still missed on most Wall Street estimates. During the third fiscal quarter this year, Apple recorded revenue of $28.57 b...

Apple has yet to release a MacBook with an integrated 3G modem, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t toyed with the idea. A 2007 15-inch MacBook Pro has surfaced on eBay with a built-in 3G antenna and a SIM-card slot. The seller says he or she originally purchased the 3G-capable MacBook Pro “for parts,” from a former Apple engineer and said “it was immediately clear this was no normal MacBook Pro.” The machine’s SIM card slot is still recognized by OS X 10.6.8 Leo...

How’s this for an undocumented feature? Apple’s newer MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks have a security flaw that can allow hackers to remotely prevent the batteries from charging. Better yet, hackers can exploit the same flaw and remotely cause batteries to explode. Apple laptops’ new “smart” battery technology is intended to provide added control over power management, and it does just that. Unfortunately, it also gives hackers added control because the microcontro...