Apple just announced its tablet device, the iPad.
I want one.
Archive for the 'Apple' Category
After a couple of weeks of using the Magic Mouse, it’s safe to say that I like it a lot. It took some getting used to since the form factor is a lot different from most of the mice I’ve used. But, once I got comfortable with holding it, it became a joy to use. It glides really well and tracking is consistent across different surfaces I use it on. The scrolling experience is the killer feature for me. Momentum scrolling works really well when going through long lines of code or navigating through Photoshop files or the Finder. It even lets you scroll sideways through a very long url if you’re trying to just modify part of it while testing something. Unlike other users, I’m not bothered by the right click probably due to the fact that it seems to be the same action when using an index-finger-controlled trackball. I’m also not missing the middle click since being a keyboard person, my left hand is usually on the keyboard, ready to press a key for opening a new tab or launching Exposé. It’s probably the best mouse I’ve had since the Logitech VX Nano.
(Another plus I think for me is it somehow helps in making me keep a better posture. It is quite difficult to use when in the full-on slouching position.)
Apple unveiled OS X Snow Leopard at WWDC’s Keynote and I’m excited mostly because of the following features:
- Smaller footprint (6GB less space used) – more space for my VMs
- 64-bit system applications + Grand Central Dispatch – faster navigation around the OS
- Exposé Integration – clicking and holding onto an application’s dock icon shows the screenshots of its open windows
- Enhanced Finder and Dock
- Redesigned Services menu
- Faster Wake Up and Shutdown
- More reliable Disk Eject
- Split-pane Terminal
(via TUAW)
- I like the new tab management, i.e. tabs on top, drag and drop and no more title bar. It’s more intuitive and reminds me of another Webkit browser — Google Chrome.
- The address bar (or address field) is smarter now, reminiscent of Firefox’s awesome bar.
- Top Sites which displays screenshots of your frequently used shots when opening a new tab is nifty and reminds again of Chrome. Safari4 just makes it prettier with the perspective and shadows and black background. Although I think Opera was the first to have that thumbnail grid interface.
- Just like Firefox, it now has full-page zoom, but it seems to be slow when rendering a zoom in. I tested it on Safari’s feature page and there’s some kind of lag when zooming in.
- On OS X, it now natively supports Ctrl+Tab when switching tabs.
- There’s cover flow for bookmarks and history, which I think is a nice way of trying to find something you’ve visited specially if all you have is a visual memory of how the site looked like rather than keywords.
- It’s supposed to have better developer tools although I have yet to explore them, although looking from the feature list it’s almost everything Firefox+Firebug can do .
- I still need to run the sites I usually more to see if it can actually be my main browser on OS X as Google Chrome is still nowhere near available. But, overall it’s a refreshing experience.
Finally got myself an apple keyboard so I can use my underutilized external monitor with my MBP’s lid closed (I only learned I could a couple of days ago, goes to show how much of a n00b i still am in the Mac world).
As for first impressions, the keys are light to the touch but still responsive enough for touch typing, which is good for people (like me) who are having RSI or CTS. It is a whole lot better than the keyboard I use in the office which is a generic one that comes with Dell Vostro machines. I think I’m gonna enjoy coding with it and one more reason for me to develop a blogging/writing habit. It even looks good with my E71.
Apple released their new notebook line today. They’re really pretty but I still love my MacBook Pro. If I were to purchase a notebook now I might actually go with the high end MacBook instead of the MacBook Pro since it would be able to support most of my graphic needs already. Then I’d probably get an iMac for running more graphic intensive apps at home.
The new MacBook is also a very good alternative to those who might want a MacBook Air just for its looks but still want more power and an integrated optical drive. It’s relatively lighter now compared to the previous MacBook, from 5.0 to 4.5 lbs. Although I’m not sure if that’s noticable.
The things I don’t like about the new MacBook Pros is there’s no option for a non-glossy screen and I still have to get used to using a chiclet style keyboard.
