If you own a MacBook Pro with Retina Display and desire extra screen real estate, then a 4K monitor can be a good investment, especially as the price of such monitors continue to dwindle.
Why should you consider a 4K display instead of a cheaper monitor with lesser resolution? It all boils down to clarity.
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Today, aftermarket Mac upgrade specialists OWC announced that the long-awaited PCIe flash storage upgrades for late model Mac laptops are now available. MacBook Pro, as far back as the Late-2013 product cycle, and MacBook Air, as far back as the Mid-2013 product cycle, are eligible to upgrade. Upgrades include a 480GB or a 1TB PCIe-based flash storage solution.
Considering that many of these Macs shipped with anemic 128GB or 256GB SSDs, this can be considered a major upgrade. For instance, with MacBook Airs that featured 128GB of flash storage space, a 1TB upgrade equals 8x the storage space, a significant increase in eligible storage.
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A possible class action suit is in preparation over multiple reports of what appears to be anti-reflective coatings flaking off the screens of Retina MacBook Pros, resulting in a stained appearance. Most of the machines affected seem to be 2013 models.
A group calling itself Staingate says that it has a database of more than 2500 people affected by the issue. More than 1800 of them have joined a Facebook group, a petition has been created, and lawyers Whitfield Bryson & Mason are collecting details of owners for “potential legal action against Apple related to staingate” …
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Less than a week following the previous seed, Apple has released build 14D105 of the upcoming OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 to both developers and users of the Public Beta. Apple has not yet said when 10.10.3 will be released to all OS X Yosemite users, but the increase in seeds in recent weeks likely indicates that a wider launch is fast approaching. As we’ve previously detailed, 10.10.3 will include the all new iCloud-based Photos app for the Mac, developer APIs for the new Force Touch Trackpad on the MacBook and MacBook Pro with Retina display, and a new Emoji picker across the system.
Apple quietly released an updated lineup of Retina MacBook Pros earlier this morning and as a result, previous generation (which, let’s be honest, aren’t a big step down) refurbished models have received notable price drops.
At the low end, the October 2012 (first generation) 13-inch model has dropped $59, which has made it the first refurbished Retina MacBook Pro with a 1 year Apple warranty to dip below $1,000. This pricing isn’t completely unprecedented as we have tracked new models at $999.
A best bet: Prices for the 2013 Haswell model now start at $1,019. That’s down from $1,099 (that $20 extra will go a long way on battery life alone).
You can browse Apple’s entire refurbished offerings, but keep in mind quantities are extremely limited and popular models tend to sell out quickly. Be sure to check back frequently because inventories are constantly being replenished. Apple refurbished products have a reputation for being nearly as good as new and are still eligible for AppleCare.
Best Buy continues to be the best place to buy a new MacBook for anyone with access to an .edu email address. The big box retailer offers students an additional $100 off already discounted MacBook prices. All other buyers should follow our buying guides and 9to5Toys to keep up with the best Mac deals.
The unverified photo from a Chinese Apple Store appearing to show a slight refresh to the Retina MacBook Pro launch is accurate, claims French site MacG, citing a reliable source. The site claims that the refreshed models will go on sale tomorrow.
The refresh is a minor one, with a modest speed boost of 200MHz and an increase in RAM across the range to 16GB. Apple is also, for the first time, offering a 1TB SSD in a standard model …
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Many of us were deeply disappointed when Apple discontinued the MacBook Pro 17. While the Retina MacBook Pro 15 introduced at the same time offered higher resolution, sometimes there’s just no substitute for physical screen size. Photographers and videographers in particular loved the combination of the sheer size and the option of a matte screen.
I loved mine enough to immediately sell the three-year-old one I owned at the time in order to replace it with the last model made, to maximize its useful life. I still love it enough that I’ve just laid out a thousand bucks on a 2.5-year-old machine to fit 2TB of SSDs, giving it the best of both worlds: lightning-fast performance combined with huge storage that allows me to have all my files with me when I travel.
There may not be too many others who’ll follow my admittedly extravagant example, but I do think it’s time for Apple to revisit its decision and bring back the mobile professional’s workhorse …
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
Today’s can’t miss deals:
Apps/Games:
$50 iTunes gift card for $40 shipped from Staples (20% savings)
Jawbone BIG Jambox $200 shipped (Reg. $300), Logitech UE Boom $129 shipped (Reg. $200)
Brother Multi-Function Wireless Monochrome Laser Printer $100 shipped (Reg. $200)
Philips 10.5-watt (60W equiv.) Slim Style Dimmable LED Light Bulb $9 (Reg. $14)
13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 2.4 GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version) $1,100 shipped ($200 off)
Samsung 28-inch 4K UHD LED 60Hz Monitor $597 shipped (Reg. $700) http://t.co/hOaznq4Ydb pic.twitter.com/v9mRfZYtei
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) May 22, 2014
Other deals from today:
More deals still alive:
HBO shows land on Amazon Prime Instant Video today: Sopranos, Wire, deadwood, more http://t.co/SyzFuhs0oU pic.twitter.com/HfWefuxtKw
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) May 21, 2014
New products/useful info:
Microsoft/Google/Android:
We already knew that the latest version of OS X Mavericks, version 10.9.3, has provided increased compatibility between certain Macs and 4K displays. It appears, though, that may be in part due to a change in how OS X allocates certain resources, specifically VRAM, on newer machines. As Mac4ever and MacGeneration point out, certain hardware including the MacBook Pro with Retina display from Late 2013 and the MacBook Air from 2013 and 2014 have all seen an increase in the maximum level of VRAM available from 1024MB to 1536MB …
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.
Today’s can’t miss deals:
Last Call updates:
IPS Monitors: 24″ Dell UltraSharp 1080p $229 (Reg. $370), Monoprice 27″ 2560×1440 Slim $290 (Reg. $855)
Apple 13″ Macbook Pro with Retina Display $999 shipped (Reg. $1299) (Update 3/17 2:45pm: Sold out)
Samsung 840 EVO Series 1TB 2.5″ Solid State Drive $434 shipped (Reg. $850) (Update 3/17 2:30pm: Price bumped back up to the low price of $469)
Kensington PowerBolt Duo 2-port USB car charger w/ MFi Lightning cable $15 (Reg. $40)
Ends today:
Arby’s Buy One Get One FREE Reuben sandwich http://t.co/E6TDvprfPC #HappyStPatricksDay pic.twitter.com/UPMaoM9sXD
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) March 17, 2014
Other great deals from today:
Seiki set to give its UHDTV owners a free 4K up-conversion HDMI adapter
More info: http://t.co/fTPplynPs9
Adapter: http://t.co/idwStqAG63
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) March 17, 2014
More great deals still alive:
New products/info: