I’ve been using Apple’s mid-2011 MacBook Air for almost a week now and even though it’s physically the same unit that it replaced (for the most part) on the exterior, this is an entirely different beast. For starters, Apple’s second-generation MacBook Air improved greatly on the first model by offering up a redesigned case complete with two built-in USB ports, an SD card reader and SSD hard drives as the only available options. The older Intel Core 2 Duo processors however, severely limited the computer. It was functional enough for me to replace a Core i7 MacBook Pro, but it was slow; normal tasks would bog the system down, and the computer would heat up at the drop of a dime. All this has changed with the latest MacBook Air, however. Read on for my thoughts.

No longer is the MacBook Air a netbook-comparable laptop (if it ever was). It has rightfully earned its spot as the more portable, lighter, thinner, more streamlined version of what an Apple laptop in 2011 should be. Compared to the existing MacBook Pro, it’s just in a different league, hardware-wise and specifications-wise.

One of the biggest changes the improved processor has made in my everyday usage is the fact that I can run Windows 7 in a virtual machine without the unit heating up whatsoever. I’m an Outlook 2010 junkie combined with our BGR Exchange server, and being able to run this side by side with my system is necessity. Additionally, while the previous MacBook Air was reasonably fast, I haven’t experienced any slow downs or hiccups with the mid-2011 model, even while running Photoshop CS 5.1, VMware, iPhoto and Final Cut Pro X at the same time, while a dozen tabs are open in my web browsing.

The fact that Apple has finally brought back the keyboard backlighting and auto-brightness capability is a welcome change as well. Add on a Thunderbolt port (currently useless save for about three accessories), a bumped up Core i5 or Core i7 processor and 4GB of RAM, and the new MacBook Air isn’t just a light, travel-ready laptop as it has been since its release. It’s now a full-fledged mobile workstation that’s capable of replacing your current laptop and doing everything better (and sexier). It’s no wonder Apple has discontinued the plastic MacBook, there’s just no place for a plastic mid-range computer in Apple’s lineup nowadays — not when the entry price for a full-fledged MacBook Air is $999… before the student discount.

This is the best laptop Apple has ever made, and the cost of entry is lower than it has ever been before. It completely blows away anything else in its price range, and if you’re in the market for a laptop, this would be my number one choice.

Japanese blog Macotakara.jp is reporting from parts makers in Asia that Apple’s upcoming MacBook Air refresh, expected in the next two weeks, will use super-speedy 400Mbps NAND flash storage chips. In addition to being incredibly fast — even faster that the current MacBook Air solution, which uses an mSATA connector to connect the SSD to the motherboard — these new NAND flash storage chips would be soldered directly to the motherboard, bypassing any connector. If true, this new change would result in 100-times performance increase over the current solution, and coupled with a rumored bump to i5 / i7 processors, the new MacBook Airs should absolutely fly.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

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Sony announced its brand new VAIO Z laptop on Thursday, an ultralight device that weighs just 2.6 pounds. The Windows 7 Professional-powered notebook is equipped with a 13.1-inch 1600 x 900-pixel display, a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor, a 256GB solid state drive, AMD Radeon HD graphics, and can be purchased with an optional battery sheet that provides up to 14 hours of battery life. Similarly, its optional Power Media Dock accessory supports up to four displays at once, has its own 1GB graphics card, can be purchased with a DVD or Blu-ray drive, and offers support for Intel’s new “Light Peak” port. The VAIO Z will make its debut in July in the UK first for £2,700 ($4,320), Read on for the full press release.

Ultimate performance and design: ultra-mobile new VAIO Z Series from Sony weighs under 1.2kg

28 June 2011

Thin, ultra-light 13.1” notebook PC with innovative new Power Media Dock

· 33.2cm (13.1”) VAIO Z Series: less than 1.2 kg and 16.65mm slim with stunning design and smart battery concept

· Business-class power with latest standard voltage Intel® Core™ i7 processors and fast SSD storage

· High-resolution (1600×900) anti-reflective VAIO Display Premium

· Optional sheet battery gives up to 14hr stamina¹ with quick charge

· Power Media Dock™ ² with quad video monitor support, AMD Radeon™ HD graphics, optical drive and extra ports including HDMI™ out

· Quick Boot gets you working in seconds

Weighing little over a kilogram, the new VAIO Z Series notebook PC from Sony is created for mobile professionals who demand absolute performance and portability.

VAIO Z blends ultra-desirable styling and premium carbon fibre with no-compromise specifications and innovative productivity features. In the office or on the road, this class-leading business notebook helps demanding users work more efficiently with the ultimate in on-the-move computing power.

All-new VAIO Z takes cutting-edge styling by Sony to new extremes, with a ‘full flat’ body and display lid that are crafted in tough, ultra-light carbon fibre. At just below 1.2kg and 16.65mm slim, the new VAIO Z is the perfect partner for business travellers who demand ultimate power with less to carry.

On-the-go usability is enhanced further by the backlit keyboard with extra-wide palm rest and ergonomic new ‘button-less’ touchpad. With a resolution of 1600×900, the 33.2cm (13.1”) VAIO Display Premium features an anti-reflective coating that cuts glare from direct light sources and ensures crisp colour reproduction.

Performance is everything you’d expect from the most sophisticated VAIO notebook yet. Latest-generation standard voltage Intel® Core™ i7 processors are teamed with speedy DDR3 SDRAM and up to 256GB SSD RAID storage to blaze through the toughest workload with ease.

As an extra refinement, Quick Boot saves precious time when you’re in a hurry, loading Genuine Windows® 7 Professional up to 50% quicker than conventional notebooks. Embedded VAIO ‘everywair’ 3G WWAN on selected models connects via your mobile broadband operator.

Power Media Dock™

The performance of VAIO Z Series is taken to new extremes by the unique Power Media Dock², a monolithic expansion module that links with VAIO via an optical cable. The proprietary port can also be used to attach regular USB devices to VAIO when it’s not docked.

Featuring high-speed I/O data transfer based on the architecture codenamed ‘Light Peak’, Power Media Dock boosts graphics performance while adding numerous extra connectivity options. It includes an optical drive for even greater business productivity and satisfying HD entertainment. The module comes supplied with a stylish design-matched stand.

With Power Media Dock added, VAIO Z can manage up to four displays (including the notebook screen) via HDMI™ and/or VGA output ports. In this configuration, VAIO Z makes a compelling choice for design, finance and science professionals who need to work across several screens simultaneously. New-generation AMD Radeon HD graphics with 1GB VRAM effortlessly handle demanding graphics tasks, from 3D CAD to gaming.

When docked, connectivity options are boosted by additional USB ports plus VGA and HDMI outputs. Power Media Dock also sports an optical drive bay that can be specified with a Blu-ray Disc™ or SuperMulti combo drive. Games and movies on DVD or Blu-ray Disc sound as good as they look with latest Dolby® Home Theater® v4.

Sheet battery

VAIO Z features the innovative ‘sheet battery’ already showcased on this year’s VAIO S Series. The notebook’s internal lithium polymer battery provides power for up to 7 hours¹ on-the-go computing. It’s partnered by a second thin, flat optional lithium polymer sheet battery that can be charged separately from the PC and added without removing the internal battery. The sheet battery attaches without having to switch off the PC, boosting stamina to up to 14 hours¹ for day-and-night working, even if you’re far from mains power.

VAIO Z delivers a richer communication experience if you’re staying in touch with colleagues via video conference or web chat. The HD web camera powered by Exmor™ technology ensures detailed-packed video even in low light.

There’s a full range of official accessories from Sony, style-matched to complement the looks and performance of your VAIO. Many more configuration options – including a Full HD (1920 x 1080) LCD – are available exclusively to online shoppers at Sony Store.

The new 2011 VAIO Z Series of ultra-portable performance notebook PCs is available from the end of July 2011 (actual date of availability varies by country).

ASUS is on a mission to become a tablet-toting, force to be reckoned with and it looks like that mission could begin to yield some pretty nifty tablets moving forward. And while ASUS’ aim is to become the world’s No.2 tablet vendor by next year, it sounds like ASUS will continue to cook up some interesting products in other categories as well. Netbooks don’t get as much coverage these days, but the category is still a pretty big money maker for companies like ASUS. According to ASUS CEO Jerry Shen who spoke to reporters at CeBIT, we can look forward to both Android and MeeGo netbooks from the company in the near future. Shen also says ASUS is working on a Windows Phone that will launch next year. Moving back to tablets, Shen talked up 3D displays, quad-core processors and SSD drives when discussing the company’s roadmap, though he didn’t get into any specifics. The just announced Apple iPad 2 gave competitors plenty of room to shine in 2011, though it could be almost impossible for any single vendor to make any real headway with imminent floods about to drown us all. What definitely won’t help is a lot of talk with no products to back it up, so we’re hoping ASUS has some intriguing devices in hand next time executives talk tablets.

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Ever since Apple released Mac OS X Lion 10.7 to developers to test, new features have started to become uncovered. 9to5Mac has been doing a great job compiling a list of some new (and pretty lust-worthy) features that are available in the next version of Apple’s operating system for the PC, and here’s a brief recap of what you can expect to see come summer:

• TRIM support for super-fast SSD writing
• Recovery partition to your startup hard drive removing the need for the OS X installer disc in case something goes wrong
• Possible Dropbox-like functionality for MobileMe storage
• Find my Mac functionality in Apple’s MobileMe service
• Removed support for PowerPC applications
• Removed Front Row (possible it’s only in the seeded development OS, however)
• Podcast Producer, a true podcast production tool letting you create various shows, episodes, and effortless edit, upload, and share your podcasts
• Yahoo IM! support in iChat including video and audio conferencing, iOS-style symbol keys (hold down a key on your keyboard and an onscreen symbol list appears like in iOS), and live URL previews when you hover over a URL link

There are many more findings in Mac OS X 10.7, but these are some of the exciting smaller ones that haven’t yet been announced.

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We have been told by one our Apple sources that the new MacBook Pro laptops will be available for sale in the next two weeks, and Apple stores are set to start receiving the shipments in “the coming days.” As far as what the refreshed MacBook Pros will hold, our source mentioned a few interesting features. For starters, we are told that the new laptops will contain glass trackpads that are even larger than the pads found on current-generation MacBook Pro models. The next bit of information doesn’t quite make sense to us, but we have been told the OS on the laptops will be loaded to a separate (internal) 8-16GB SSD while everything else will remain on the regular hard drive. There will be options for just SSD drives but the base models will feature regular hard disks with the SSD combo for the OS. Our source also said that the new MacBook Pro models are about a half-pound lighter on average than each of their relative current models, and there will be five different SKUs as had been previously reported.

Thanks, Lindsey S.!

If you think a single $58,000 RED EPIC camera package is a lot to blow on a 5K resolution production camera, Peter Jackson and crew have just swooped in and snagged thirty of them. The entire package comes with the EPIC-M body, titanium mount, 5-inch touchscreen LCD, REDmote, four batteries, a four-pack of 128-GB SSDs to shoot onto, and of course, a charger. RED is planning on assembling Peter Jackson’s order by hand starting next month into January and then roll into full production one month after that. They are hoping for general availability by NAB in April, but as usual with RED, that’s not something written in stone. The Hobbit starts filming in February.

[Via Engadget]

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We covered the fact Apple is taking around $100 off Mac purchases today online at Apple.com as well as in Apple retail stores, but with $100 off, the 11″ MacBook Air with 128GB drive is effectively the same price as the 13″ MacBook Air with 128GB drive. Our question to you is, which one would you get, and is anyone taking Apple up on their Black Friday offer? We went with the 13″ laptop, but the 11″ is still tempting us from afar.

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It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but Apple today announced a long-awaited refresh of its MacBook Air notebook line. Apple’s airy laptops haven’t been its most popular series by any means, but there is no question that the company’s remarkably thin notebooks struck a chord among jet-setters and young urbanites with expendable income. The sleek, lightweight machines were perfect for travel and even better for being seen in a local Starbucks. As time moved on however, the meager specs began showing their age and even a price drop couldn’t keep MacBook Air sales inflated.

Today, Apple looks to rekindle the public’s interest in its slender MacBook Air line with a reworked case, beefed up specs and a new smaller option.

Long story short, thin is in.

Hit the jump for more information on specs, pricing and availability.

MacBook Air 13.3-inch

• 13.3-inch LED backlit display, 1440 x 900 pixels
• 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo processor
• NVidia GeForce 320M GPU
• SD card reader, 2 USB ports, a Mini DisplayPort, a 3.5mm audio jack and a straight MagSafe port
• Instant-on
• Multitouch glass trackpad
• Full aluminum unibody construction
• 128GB or 256GB SSD
• 802.11n Wi-Fi
• FaceTime camera
• 0.68-inches thin at its thickest point, 0.11-inches at its thinnest
• 2.9 lbs
• Battery life: 7 hours usage, 30 days standby

MacBook Air 11.6-inch

• 11.6-inch LED backlit display, 1366 x 768 pixels
• 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor
• NVidia GeForce 320M GPU
• 2 USB ports, a Mini DisplayPort and a straight MagSafe port
• Instant-on
• Multitouch glass trackpad
• Full aluminum unibody construction
• 64GB or 128GB SSD
• 802.11n Wi-Fi
• FaceTime camera
• 0.68-inches thin at its thickest point, 0.11-inches at its thinnest
• 2.3 lbs
• Battery life: 5 hours usage, 30 days standby

The new MacBook Air models are available immediately online and Apple stores should be getting inventory soon. Pricing starts at $999 for the 11.6-inch model with a 64GB SSD ($1,199 for 128GB SSD), and tops out at $1,599 for the 13-inch model with a 256GB SSD ($1,399 for 128GB SSD).

A refresh of the now aged MacBook Air line is almost a foregone conclusion at this point, with Apple’s “Back to the Mac” event scheduled to take place later this week. Now, more purported specs are making the rounds by way of Cult of Mac, and they definitely look appealing.  According to the blog’s sources, here are some highlights from the new Air models:

• 11.6-inch model starting at $999, 13.3-inch model starting as low as $1,100
• 2.1 GHz and 2.4 GHz processor options
• 8-10 hours of battery life (vs. a “claimed” 5 hours in the current model)
• NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics
• Upgradeable RAM (2 GB base) and SSD options
• New thinner case design
• An SD card slot, two USB ports, standard MagSafe port and Mini DisplayPort

Apple fans have been waiting for what seems like an eternity to see a true MacBook Air refresh and if these specs make their way from rumor to reality, the wait might just be worth it. Especially at those price points.

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Sony’s first VAIO P was a was quite a disappointment considering how poorly it performed and the huge price tag it carried, but Sony seems to be confident that its second-gen VAIO P will right the wrongs of the past. Shipping one week ahead of schedule, the “Lifestyle PC” comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium and has an Intel Atom Z530 processor and 2GB of RAM to help keep things flowing. Apart from that, the $900 rig has a 8″ 1600×768 display that’s straddled by optical trackpads, Everywair 3G, GPS, digital compass and an accelerometer. Of course if you lived elsewhere you’d have a lot more options than that to chose from, but who needs that much stress in their life?

[Via Pocketables]

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Some might argue it’s a case of too little, too late, but Sony looks to have a pretty darn good “don’t call it a netbook” netbook on its hands with its much-needed and long-rumored upgrade to the VAIO P. Featuring a “new design for two-handed operation while standing or walking”, the refreshed VAIO P has a built in optical trackpad to the right of the 8″ 1600×768 display which neighbors the left/right mouse click buttons on the left. Thrown in for good measure is an an accelerometer which allows you to shake and flick your way around the internet, Everywair 3G, GPS, digital compass and support for PS3 Remote Play (provided you’re running firmware 3.30 and up). Running Windows 7 Home Premium with an optional upgrade to Professional, the entry-level model features an Intel Atom Z530 clocking in at 1.6 GHz while the top-of-the-line model packs an Atom Z560 at 2.13 GHz. RAM tops out at 2GB, and you have your choice of either a 64, 128, or 256GB SSD. The new VAIO P starts at $799.

Catch the PR after the break.

Sony delivers a smarter on-the-move computing experience: Ultra-portable, easy to carry new VAIO P Series
10 May 2010

• Colourful ultra-portable PC weighs just over 600g
• New design for two-handed operation while standing or walking
• GPS and Digital Compass
• Accelerometer sensor
• Built-in Everywair 3G
• Clear, bright, widescreen VAIO Display Plus
• Easy to use with Quick Web Access

It’s smaller than a notebook and smarter than a smartphone: the colourful VAIO P Series from Sony is your perfect partner for on-the-move computing.

Weighing just over 600g and slipping effortlessly into a bag or jacket pocket, new VAIO P Series gives you all the power of a fully-featured Windows computing experience… and so much more.

Ideal for busy people who can’t sit still, it’s the first VAIO designed for simple operation if you’re standing or walking. The central trackball is complemented by an additional touchpad and mouse buttons. Duplicating the main controls, they’re located at either edge of the screen for comfortable operation with both thumbs while you’re holding the computer in two hands.

VAIO P Series is the first notebook computer from Sony with built-in GPS and a new Digital Compass. Perfect for telling you where you are and what’s happening around you, they can help you find your hotel or a nearby restaurant if you’re standing on the street corner in an unfamiliar city.

A brand-new VAIO Location Search software offers a real-time map view without tying up your web browser. Your map position and orientation are displayed along with nearby Points of Interest and even local weather conditions.

The ultra-light notebook’s ‘on-the-go’ credentials for travellers are boosted with Everywair 3G on-board, giving high-speed connectivity to mobile networks (where available).

New VAIO P is the first notebook from Sony with a built-in accelerometer that responds to physical movements. Just give VAIO a gentle shake to ‘flick’ through pictures or the pages of a PDF document, or navigate back and forth through your web browsing history.

The sensor also recognises when VAIO P Series is turned on its side, automatically ‘flipping’ the screen for easy reading of documents or web pages in portrait mode. The notebook’s additional mouse buttons are perfectly placed for comfortable page-turning when you’re reading in portrait position – just like a paperback book or magazine.

New VAIO P Series is beautifully designed for easy operation, with a comfortable full-pitch keyboard for easy typing, plus a bright, extra-wide VAIO Display Plus that’s ideally proportioned for viewing movies or two web pages side-by-side. There’s also an ambient light sensor that dims screen illumination for comfortable viewing while saving power.

For extra convenience, dedicated buttons are provided for Quick Web Access and one-touch access to VAIO Care. There’s also a handy new Change Resolution button: instantly select a larger font size for easy on-screen reading, or choose maximum detail for HD movie viewing.

Available in five vibrant colours (black, white, pink, green and orange), the new VAIO P Series is complemented by a choice of stylish accessories that includes a distinctively perforated silicone slip case and carry strap.

The new VAIO P Series ultra-portable notebook computer is available from June 2010.

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It might have legal issues galore thanks to Chandra Rathakrishnan’s legendary row with Michael Arrington, but the internet tablet formerly known as the CrunchPad has finally entered into production and should begin shipping later this month. To retail for $499 USD, the JooJoo features a 12.1″ multi-touch capacitive display with native resolution of 1366 x 768, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, 4GB SSD, front-facing camera, accelerometer, support for Flash (HD Flash will be all systems go when 10.1 comes out of beta) as well as a bunch of givens like integrated speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack and USB port. Also announced today is Fusion Garage’s intent to open an app web store in which JooJoo owners will be able to grab whatever developers can make using some proprietary “but standards driven” APIs. Rathakrishnan et al are rather confident that their device will be able to take on competitors such as the HP Slate and Apple iPad, even going so far as to say of the later that the JooJoo is bigger, fully supports Flash (the real internet) and will beat its major competitors to the market, but one has to wonder what it’s all for in a day and age where most people are brand-conscious to the point where they’ll often turn away from something far better. We guess you have to start somewhere.

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Well, well, well. Look what we’ve just got our hands on… One of our Northern ninjas has hit us with full pricing and specifications for Sony’s VAIO X Series line of notebooks (these are meant for the Canadian market but give us a good ballpark). We’ve been told it will be announced sometime tomorrow, but hey, you know how we roll.

The Sony VAIO X Series is being billed as the “world’s lightest notebook,” we’ve been told and it’s due in part to its carbon-fiber chassis. It weighs 1.6 pounds and is just over half an inch thin. There’s a 16:9 aspect ratio display that clocks in at 11.1″ that features some nice LED backlighted action. Our ninja tells us that the notebook will come with standard and “super-extended” batteries with the standard battery providing around 3.5 hours of battery life and the “super-extended” battery lasting up to 14 hours! The touchpad of the notebook features multi-touch functionality letting you flick through photos, rotate items, zoom in and out, and scroll both directions right from the touchpad.

Lastly, the X Series ships with a SSD drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. Oh, pricing! How does $1,499 sound? It will be available in Canada starting next month and we’d assume U.S. availability will be at the same time or before.

P.S. We didn’t get an answer from our guy on what CPU is in there, bummer!

Lovers of all things tech and trim, rejoice as Apple has updated its svelte MacBook Air. A $300 price drop puts the new budget model MacBook Air at $1,499 while still coming in with a relatively impressive 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 9400M graphics card and 120GB HDD. Also new is a more “high end” MBA which starts off with the same amount of RAM and graphics card except the processor clocks in at 2.13GHz and in lieu of spinning hard-disk drive you get a 128GB SSD. It will retail for $1,799. Yeah you read right; that’s a $700 drop in price. Congrats to Apple on maintaining that ridiculous margin for as long as it did.