Thunderbolt Ready Products Now Available

Yesterday, the Thunderbolt connector was made official. The first device to get a Thunderbolt port is the 2011 MacBook Pro range. At that time, there were no official products that actually worked with the new connector other than being able to hook up to DVI due to compatibility.

We now see that a couple of new Thunderbolt ready devices have launched. One is from LaCie while the other is from Promise. [Read more…]

Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview Available

If you are enrolled in the Mac Developer Program then Apple just made available the Max OS X Lion developer preview for you.

The preview is available through the Mac App Store and gives developers a glimpse of what is to come. As explained in the press release, Lion… “takes some of the best ideas from iPad and brings them back to the Mac for the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system. Lion features Mission Control, an innovative new view of everything running on your Mac; Launchpad, a new home for all your Mac apps; full screen apps that use the entire Mac display; and new Multi-Touch gestures. Lion also includes the Mac App Store, the best place to discover, install and automatically update Mac apps.” [Read more…]

FaceTime Arrives in Mac App Store

Along with todays 2011 MacBook Pro announcements, Apple has also made FaceTime available at the Mac App Store.

The service is very similar, if not the same as you have already used on the iMac and other Mac computers in that you load it up, login with your Apple ID and password, and then make video calls to other FaceTime devices which includes the iPod touch and iPhone 4. [Read more…]

MacBook Pro Specifications Leaked

We’re perhaps just an hour away from finding out what the new MacBook Pro’s will bring. What we have found out though, is that the specs have actually already leaked.

Five new MacBook Pro SKU’s are expected which includes two with 13 inch screens, two 15.4 inch models and a 17 inch model. The leak also shows that the 17 inch model will have an Intel Quad-Core CPU (an i7) running at 2.2 GHz. It will also have 4GB RAM and a 750GB hard drive. The graphics will be powered by a Radeon HD 6750 1GB GPU. [Read more…]

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Download Now Available

Microsoft [MSFT] has just launched the first service pack for Windows 7. The Service Pack 1 download went live today and is the first major update to the Windows 7 operating system. Size wise, it’s almost 2GB weighing in at 1.9GB.

As well as being available for W7, Service Pack 1 is also available for Windows 2008 R2 and can also be downloaded. [Read more…]

Chrome Browser May Get Vanishing Address Bar

Google [GOOG] is working on the next version of the Chrome Browser and one of the features that is currently being considered is the address bar that might vanish when moving the mouse away. The idea behind it is to save space at the top of the screen allowing for other buttons or controls, or perhaps a larger browsing window to be made available.

As well as looking in to the vanishing address bar, three other interfaces are also being considered. These include the classic, sidetab, touch and compact with classic being what you have now. The other three include the previously mentioned compact which compacts the header at the top of the page. The sidetab puts tabs down the side of the browser and the touch is being designed for touch screen devices. [Read more…]

webOS Hitting PCs This Year

Although webOS is coming to a couple of new phones and a tablet computer, we also heard yesterday that webOS is coming to the desktop as well.

HP announced that it intends to bring the OS to other connected devices which would include computers, printers and other form factors that we haven’t seen before. [Read more…]

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Release Date is Feb 22

On February, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 will be released for public download. As well as the new service pack being made available for Windows 7 users, it is also available for Windows Server 2008 R2 users.

To get the update you need to either just wait for Microsoft to promt you that it’s available, or you can load up the Windows Update and manually check for it after the 22nd February. [Read more…]

PlayStation Move Could Move to PC

The PlayStation Move could be moving to the PC from what we hear today. The PS3 motion controller is expected to become part of a project called Move Server which will see PlayStation Move games being created for the PC which in turn, will allow the Move controller to be used on the PC.

SCEA will be holding a conference this year which will be used to explain what Move Server is all about and from what we understand now, it is being designed to let developers, academics and hobbyists all work with the controller in more unique ways. [Read more…]

PS3 Slim HDD Enclosure

Check out the PS3 HDD drive enclosure. It has been designed to look like a PS3, but is a lot smaller and can carry 2.5 inch hard disk drives or 2.5 inch solid state drives inside. [Read more…]

Apple Motion Control Keyboard Could Replace Mouse

The diagram here shows a concept idea from a patent which indicates Apple has looked in to, or considered, getting rid of the mouse and replacing it with motion sensors on the keyboard.

Patent applications are not an indication of what will happen, but an indication of where Apple might choose to go. This latest patent shows the sensors on the keyboard that essentially convert it in to a hybrid keyboard. [Read more…]

Mac App Store Goes Live with OS X 10.6.6 Update

Apple [AAPL] has launched the Mac App Store. The store is made available when upgrading to the new version of OS X numbered 10.6.6 and works in a similar fashion to how the App Store on iOS works in that you can browse a library of apps and click to install them on your Mac.

The Mac OS X 10.6.6 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac. It also includes the Mac App Store, the best way to discover and buy new apps for your Mac. The Mac App Store, a new application you’ll find in the Dock, includes the following features:

Discover Mac apps: Browse featured apps, top charts, and categories, or search for something specific. Read detailed app descriptions and user reviews, and flip through screen shots.
Buy and install: Easily purchase apps with your iTunes account. Apps install in one step and are quickly available from the Dock.
App updates: The Mac App Store keeps track of all your purchased apps and notifies you when free updates are available.

[Read more…]