Pink Macbook

Okay, so this MacBook Air isn’t exactly pink (nothing a sticker or cover won’t fix), but I thought I’d post this offer here anyway. I mean, who doesn’t want a free MacBook Air, right?

You’ll need to fill in a short form and don’t forget to read all the details. The offer is only available to people in the United States. Besides a new laptop, you’ll also get a $100 App Store gift card. Which is great to get your hands on some extra useful apps without paying a cent.

Just click the banner below to check out all the details.

written by waquokka \\ tags: free app store gift card, free macbook air, pink

Note: Click the link to read more Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch laptop reviews.

In the mean time, enjoy the review below.

By Frank J. Wiley

Despite the hefty price tag, the Apple MacBook Pro remains one of the best selling laptops on the market, and as of Summer 2011, is the second best-selling laptop on Amazon.com. There is quite a large fan base of Apple MacBook users who return again and again, not just out of brand loyalty, but because they know Apple produces a well-built computer than is often worth the extra cost. Today we take a look at the 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Air (MC700LL/A), released earlier this year, and the latest incarnation of a well-praised notebook dynasty.

Look & Feel

As with most Apple products, the aesthetics of the MacBook Pro has always been one of its primary selling-points. The computer is produced from a single block of aluminum, giving it a very solid and durable feel. In this respect it is very similar to the previous generation of MacBooks. Due to the device’s slim design, the solid construction doesn’t make the laptop any heftier than average. While some may call the overall design somewhat “plain,” with the standard white Apple logo on the top, we contend that it has a professional and clean look most users will appreciate for its simplicity.

The trackpad is arguably one of the best you will find on any laptop. Made of glass, and featuring Apple’s Multi-Touch technology, the trackpad is durable, responsive, and just feels “right” under our fingers. There are no buttons – all motions are captured by Multi-Touch, which translates swiping, pinching, rotating and scrolling motions fluently onto the screen. The MacBook Pro also has a back-lit keyboard, great for typing in darker environments.

The MacBook Pro’s display measures 13.3 inches diagonally. The LED-backlit glossy display has a 1280�800 pixel resolution, which is fairly standard. The size of the display is a bit on the “petite” side as laptops go, but it offers better portability than large notebooks. The 15.4 MacBook Pro adds a bit of weight and costs roughly $300-$500 more.

Performance

MacBooks have generally offered very strong performance, and the latest MacBook Pro is no exception. The notebook is powered by Intel’s latest generation of “Sandy Bridge” processors, the Core I line. The processor is a dual-core Core i5, which runs at 2.4 GHz and has a shared L3 cache for better multi-tasking performance. The performance of the i5 is somewhere between the cheaper Core i3 and the more expensive i7. For most applications, the Core i5 processor, combined with 4 GB of installed RAM, has more than enough processing power to get the job done.

The MacBook Pro is not a “gaming” computer, but still offers modest graphics performance. The Intel HD Graphics 3000 is an integrated, rather than a stand-alone, graphics chip. While not as powerful as a separate graphics processor, the 3000 can handle many of the latest games, albeit on low graphics settings and with occasional glitches. For games and other graphic-intensive software like Photoshop or AutoCAD, you might want to consider a laptop with a discrete graphics card.

The latest Apple MacBook Pro, currently retailing for about $1,150, is a serious investment. For anyone looking in this price range, however, the MacBook delivers great performance and a pleasant, portable, and durable design. Although there are cheaper alternatives out there, the MacBook Pro is certainly a shoe-in for long-time fans.

Frank J. Wiley is a senior editor at SciNet.cc, a website containing many helpful consumer electronics review articles. For more information on the Apple MacBook Pro other laptops please visit our Apple MacBook 2011 review webpage.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_J._Wiley

http://EzineArticles.com/?Review-of-the-Apple-MacBook-Pro-13.3-Inch-Laptop-(2011)&id=6333945

US resident? Click here for a free Apple Macbook Pro

written by waquokka \\ tags: apple, apple laptop, apple macbook, apple macbook pro, apple notebook, macbook, macbook pro

By Tao Schencks

We all know that installing 4gb of RAM will speed up a MacBook and make the whole experience that little bit more smoother and quicker – but what can you do NOW for FREE that will help speed your bundle of joy along and keep it’s user happier? I will tell you 6 things that will help.

1. Remove files from the desktop

Each time that OS X loads it has to index the contents of the desktop, create thumbnail icons for each file and catalog the contents of each folder there.

Do yourself a favor and move those files to the relevant folders they belong in. This will increase the speed at which your desktop loads and therefore make your MacBook faster.

2. Remove unwanted start up applications

Go into System Preferences and User Accounts. View the list of applications that have been set to start against your user name and remove (untick) any that you don’t need any longer.

It’s great to have iChat start automatically – but not essential.

You can view a list of applications running in the background by using the top command from the Terminal window or by using the Activity Monitor application.

3. Disable the Dashboard

This is my favorite “speed up” fix for the MacBook and it works wonders each time. The OS X dashboard is great if you use it all the time, but each one of those swish little widgets and web clips is taking up memory – and you can’t even see them unless you ask for them!

To disable the dashboard, open Terminal and enter the following command:

defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean YES

You can then either reboot the MacBook or enter the following command into the Terminal window:

killall Dock

If you miss your weather widgets and stocks information, you can reverse the command by entering:

defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean NO

And again either reboot or enter:

killall Dock

4. Clear the PRAM (intel MacBooks only) Reboot your computer while holding down the command + option + p + r keys together. Don’t stop until you have heard the start up chime three or four times.

This is not a real way of speeding up your MacBook, but it will kill any gremlins that have worked their way into the non-volatile RAM settings. I found that it seemed to allow my MacBook to boot faster.

5. Clear the PMU (MacBook, Pro and Air)

You can use this method to clear non-volatile RAM and settings on the MacBook products. Whilst it will not cause your MacBook to suddenly leap into speed mode, it will get rid of any mis-configurations and setting issues.

MacBook, MacBook Pro

1. Ensure that the MacBook is turned off.

2. Remove the power adapter and remove the battery.

3. Press and hold down the power button for 5 seconds and then release.

4. Reconnect the battery and power adapter.

5. Press the power button to restart the MacBook.

MacBook Air

1. Ensure that the MacBook Air is turned off.

2. Connect the power adaptor to a working power source.

3. On the MacBook Air keyboard, press (left) Shift-Control-Option along with the power button once.

Note: You must use the keys on the left side of the MacBook Air keyboard.

4. Wait 5 seconds and press the power button to start the MacBook Air.

6. Disable unneeded system options.

If you are not using Wireless, Bluetooth, Speech Recognition or Internet Sharing – then turn them off! Not only will you see a speed increase but you will save battery life too!

The author of this article invites you to learn and share more tips on how to speed up your MacBook or mac over at HubPages.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tao_Schencks

http://EzineArticles.com/?6-Ways-to-Speed-Up-Your-Macbook-For-Free&id=1424007

written by waquokka \\ tags: air, apple, macbook, notebook, optimization, optimize, osx, pro, speed