I bought the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro with 512GB SSD, 2.5GHz i7 quad-core processor and 16GB RAM on August 15th, the day it was launched in India. This is my second Mac the first was a 27-inch mid 2010 iMac. I recently published the story behind me switching from an iMac to MacBook Pro, if you’re interested you can find it here.

It’s been almost 10 days since I’ve been using the new Retina MacBook Pro and this review will be focusing on real-world use, general observations and experiences. If you’re looking for a more technical review focusing on speed tests and tech specs, you may want to visit AnandTech for the most comprehensive hardware reviews.

Over the last 10 days my workflow has drastically changed. I was using a windows laptop before I purchased the iMac, and over the last 4 years working on a large 27-inch screen made me feel that going back to a laptop would be a challenge. However, I was prepared for the tradeoff between modern computing speed and screen space.

As I started working on the new Retina MacBook Pro I was pleasantly surprised with the fact that I was being more efficient in my workflow and obviously could get the work done much faster than ever before. Before I get into the details about how the MacBook Pro changed my workflow I should talk about how I work.

A typical day would see me browsing through hundreds of webpages, lots of email, working on Pages, creating presentations on Keynote,  producing wireframes for apps, web design etc. With the luxury of 27 inch screen I mostly had everything open on a single desktop area. This allowed me to always have a bird’s eye view of everything that was open and gave me a feeling of being in control over everything. I rarely ever used ‘Spaces’ (creating multiple desktop spaces in OS X) as I just liked everything at one space. Even though this allowed me to view more at once, it could easily be too distracting at times.

With the MacBook Pro going from 27-inch to 15.4 inch screen required me to adjust the way I worked. From having lots of windows open at once I instantly switched to a more organised workflow by creating multiple spaces. Also, using full screen apps now made more sense, having mail open full screen on a 27 inch screen is not the same as it being open full screen on 15.4 inch screen. Full screen apps such as Mail, Pages or Safari make more sense on laptop when compared to a desktop. So, even though now I would see less at once but this increased my focus on the task at hand. Over the last 10 days I’ve noticed that having less to view at once actually made more sense and one could be more productive this way. It’s worth mentioning that I do miss the large screen space when it comes to wire framing apps, websites or editing a movie, but retina display surely makes up for that.

The first thing I ever noticed about the new MacBook Pro was its flawless high-resolution screen. The text is crisp, photos look stunning and it’s a complete visual treat. It suddenly makes you wonder why on Earth would you ever work on anything that does not have a retina screen. So, it was love at first sight with the new screen.

Once you come to terms with how excellent the screen is you start noticing that everything is just swift. Thanks to the SSD launching applications, booting-up, waking from sleep, reading & writing data is very fast. I can’t stress enough on how ‘fast’ especially if you’re moving from HDD to SSD for the first time on a computing machine. I would never turn off the iMac as it would take about 3-4 minutes to boot-up and that often felt like a lot. Apple’s iOS devices ‘always on’ usage behaviour has certainly changed the way we expect the way modern computers should work. MacBook Pro takes only a few seconds (less than 15) to boot-up so turning it off when not using it can help you save some energy. Although, there are no major benefits of turning off your computer when not using it, however occasionally it will make it more responsive as it will clear the RAM being hogged by kernel tasks.

The next aspect about the Retina MacBook Pro that I want to highlight is 16GB RAM. For the last four years I had been working with 4GB RAM on my iMac. For the modern-day browsing and general computing activities 4GB just isn’t enough although it does depend on how you use your computer. Since, I love having 15-25 tabs open in Safari when I’m researching on some topic having access to lots of RAM is a huge advantage.

I’ve put the new MacBook Pro under extreme work load by having lots of safari tabs open, playing SimCity, working on a Pages document, importing photos to iPhoto and even working on Final Cut Pro and Aperture, but the MacBook Pro just keeps taking it all and doesn’t lag one bit. I would refer to myself as a “power” user, so working on a portable machine that can take all that load is extremely satisfying.

I was a bit concerned about the battery life of my new Retina MacBook Pro. I had considered holding off my purchase for another year in anticipation of Intel’s Broadwell chips that are expected to be much more power efficient. However, so far the battery life on the MacBook Pro has been very reasonable. Keeping the screen brightness low and keyboard backlight off while not activating the dedicated graphics chip the MacBook Pro has exceeded Apple’s battery guidelines. Switching from iMac to a MacBook Pro also gave me the freedom from being tied to my desk. This freedom to work from anywhere without sacrificing on power or battery is a huge benefit.

The last aspect I want to cover is the overall build quality. Apple’s Retina MacBook Pro is undoubtedly the best looking machine you can buy in the market. The unibody construction feels extremely solid and it doesn’t feel that heavy when compared with the older generation models.

When working for long durations the system does heat up and sometimes it can get a bit uncomfortable. The fans have rarely kicked in at full speed during normal use. In my daily use the fans kicked in at full speed only while playing SimCity as the game requires the use of dedicated graphics card.

The Retina MacBook Pro might be costly but it scores highly in all aspects you can think of. However, it may still not meet everyone’s requirement. If you’re into high-end gaming and love running games at highest graphics settings then this may not be for you. If you prefer having more than 1TB storage then you’d have to look elsewhere. Upgrading the machine after purchasing is not possible; 16GB RAM will always remain 16GB. The device has been rated low in repairability. If you want to play DVD’s you would need to buy a SuperDrive.

Other benefits of a MacBook Pro include iCloud, access to some of the best softwares from the Mac App Store, less susceptible to malware, extremely responsive multi-touch trackpad and the best customer support service.

Apple’s Retina MacBook Pro is the gold standard in laptops and OS X Yosemite will only put it further in the lead. If you’ve waited all this while to switch to the MacBook Pro lineup there was never a better time than today.

On Tuesday, alongside the announcement of the new iPad mini and the 4th generation iPad, Apple Inc. (AAPL) also went ahead to introduce a thinner, lighter 13 inch MacBook Pro with a Retina Display. The new MacBook Pro is only 0.75 inches and 3.57 pounds in weight, making nearly 20% thinner than its predecessor and about a pound lighter and also has a FaceTime HD camera, dual microphones, improved speakers, faster 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a MagSafe 2 charging port.

With the newest addition to the MacBook lineup, AAPL has made nearly all of its products into portable machines. The 13 inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display does not have an optical drive as with most of Apple’s Mac products, and instead sports a slimmer form factor with a Retina Display that has 227 pixels per inch and flash storage that is faster upon startup.

With the transition to flash storage, Apple can produce thinner and lighter machines that start up and run programs much faster than the last generation. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is now one of Apple’s base models, with a 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage starting at only US$1,699. Users then have the option to configure their machines with 256GB of flash storage coming in at US$1,999.

The 13 inch and 15 inch MacBook Pros with Retina Display are on sale in Apple Stores and online with free shipping.

Are you planning to buy the MacBook Pro with Retina Display? Do you think it is worth the upgrade?

Apple Inc. (AAPL) introduced their new Retina MacBook Pro during the company’s annual WWDC conference and since then has begun shipping the new device to all of its retail stores, as well as making it available for purchase online. About a week ago, the shipping estimate for the Retina MacBook Pro improved to 2-3 weeks. Since then, the shipping estimate has improved to 1-2 weeks.

This is typically the amount of time an in-demand product takes to ship after being on sale for several weeks. Apple’s other products, such as the iPhone 4S, and iPad also carried a similar shipping estimate upon release. This recent improvement to 1-2 weeks originally occurred in the Asia-Pacific market but is also spreading to other markets around the world, including the US, Europe, and Africa. The shipping estimates were at 3-4 weeks roughly 36 hours after the initial introduction.

Shipping estimates continue to improve around the world as Apple continues to increase manufacturing and output and the initial burst in demand slows a bit. In a few weeks, it is likely that the shipping estimate will improve to a week or less on both the online stores and in Apple’s brick and mortar stores, with the online store giving users the option to customize the Retina MacBook Pro with better specs.

During Apple’s Q3 earnings call Apple CEO Tim Cook estimated that the company would be able to catchup the huge backlog of demand sometime in August.

{via MacRumors}

Last month, Apple Inc. (AAPL) introduced a new line of MacBook Pro at WWDC called the Retina MacBook Pro, introducing a slimmer design, paired with the company’s popular Retina Display. Since the unveiling and first day of sales, estimated shipment times remained frozen around 3-4 weeks, a hefty waiting period for an AAPL product. Typically, Apple products in high pent up demand such as the iPhone have shipment times of this range.

However, on Friday, shipment times began to slip and improved to 2-3 weeks in a number of markets including the U.S, Canada, and Asia-Pacific. The improvement in shipment time likely points to either an increase in production or the demand for the device decreasing after initial sales. Either way, a shorter shipment time is good not only for Apple customers who will be able to quickly purchase the product, but for Apple who can continue to control demand with a moderate ship time.

The updated ship times are slowly spreading to all markets and appear to be moving to the European market next. Apple currently offers Free Shipping on the Retina MacBook Pro and with the improved shipment times, can attract thousands of new customers.

Did you buy the new Retina MacBook Pro? Does it live up-to your expectations? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

{via 9to5Mac}

During Apple’s annual WWDC2012 conference, the company introduced the next generation of MacBook Pro. The new MacBook Pro features a retina display, the same type of screen currently found in the iPhone and the new iPad 3 as well as a new thinner design, faster processors and more hard drive space.

Apple recently released a television commercial called “Every Dimension” highlighting the design and screen of the Retina MacBook Pro. The ad shows a Retina MacBook Pro and fast forwards through a series of apps being used on the notebook. The ad then ends with a single line that reads:

The radical new MacBook Pro with Retina display. Innovation in every dimension.

Apple appears to have adopted a similar design for the commercial from the MacBook Air ad after its most recent redesign. The ad uses an all black background and centers the MacBook directly in the middle, and ends with a simple line that describes the product.

The ad aired on a number of channels in the United States, including the NBA Finals which is clearly Apple’s strategy for reaching a wide range of customers. The Retina MacBook Pro is currently available in the Apple Online Store and has a ship time of 3-4 weeks.

During Apple’s WWDC keynote event on Monday, the company introduced iOS 6 with a redesigned Maps application, built entirely from the ground up. Rumors that Apple was looking to abandon its reliance on Google’s Map data for its Maps app were around for quite some time, and now it has been confirmed.

The new and improved Maps application in iOS 6 adds a number of features not seen in the Google version included in iOS since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. All of the cartography was done by Apple, with images taken from airplanes from above for the 3D mapping portion of the data.

The new Maps app is based entirely off a Vector engine, providing smooth scrolling, panning and zooming when navigating maps. Features of the new Maps application include, turn-by-turn directions that can also be operated with Siri, local search for millions of businesses,, a crowd-sourced traffic service for real time updates on accidents and traffic issues, Yelp integration, and 3D mapping called ‘Flyover’. The Turn by Turn navigation is presented with street names, smooth, and can switch quickly from an overhead map to navigation.

Apple’s 3D Flyover feature is an excellent replacement for Google’s own Street View and allows users to pan, zoom, tilt, and rotate an almost real time 3D image. The 3D images allow for a 360° view of buildings and allows direct interaction with the picture, unlike the current version which can only be moved horizontally or vertically and is restricted at some points.

iOS 6 will be released publicly sometime during the fall timeframe of iPhone 5. Apple issued iOS 6 beta 1 to developers during the event on Monday and will release several betas before the public release.

{Image Credit: Apple}

Apple’s WWDC keynote event is only a few hours away, where Apple is expected to introduce new MacBook models as well the next version of the company’s mobile operating system, iOS 6. On Friday, a number of images of iOS 6 banners were posted by CNet, all of which were being set up in Moscone West, the building where Apple’s WWDC  2012 keynote event is being held.

With the images as proof of iOS 6, it is confirmed that Apple will be previewing features of iOS 6 during the keynote event. The images depict banners reading “iOS 6, The World’s Most Advanced Mobile Operating System” being put up by workers in the entrance hall of Moscone West. iOS 6 has long been rumored to be making an appearance at WWDC 2012, with the software showing up in web logs and running on an iPad.

The ‘6’ on the banner appears to have a background of water ripples, likely continuing Apple’s water theme, previously water droplets on glass in iOS 5. This means that the background and other promotional items will likely ship with this new background once iOS 6 is finally announced and later issued for public release.

Apple’s WWDC keynote event begins on June 11th and it is clear that iOS 6 will be a part of it, although specific details as to what will be included in the update is unknown. Other products such as new MacBooks are also expected to be announced. Stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated.

Apple has been rumored to release an updated line of MacBooks, most notably the new MacBook Pro, which is expected to take on the thin design of the MacBook Air. On Monday, Chinese forum Weiphone released an image of what appeared to be a specs sticker on the back of a 13.3 inch MacBook Pro box. The image revealed only minor additions to the MacBook Pro line, such as the new 2.5GHz Ivy Bridge processor as well as the new Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU. The specs also reveal that Apple is adding USB 3.0 for faster charging and data transfers as well as Bluetooth 4.0.

Although there were rumors that the MacBook Pro would be receiving the popular Retina Display, it appears that it will remain at the same 1280×800 resolution. Hard Drive and SuperDrive remain unchanged as well. It is likely that Apple is adding features very slowly so as not to cause any major changes to the operation of the battery in the Macbook. Adding a Retina Display could lower the battery life drastically, as would the addition of more RAM, and a faster HardDrive or SuperDrive.

The authenticity of the image remains unknown, although WWDC 2012 could bring hardware releases alongside a suite of software offerings, such as iOS 6 and perhaps another preview of OS X Mountain Lion. It is unclear if Apple will still be introducing a thinner 17 inch model, as the image only specifies the 13.3 inch model, but remains unknown until final announcement by Apple.

{via MacRumors}

A recent report from ElectricPig claimed that according to a Mac accessory manufacturer Apple Inc. (AAPL) could release a new 15 inch Macbook Air as early as this April.

And what is coming? If you take our source’s word for it, a 15-inch MacBook Air with ports on both sides, no optical drive and no ethernet cable.

While our source wasn’t certain that this would completely destroy the Pro (he also stated that Apple might hold on to the 17-inch model, which would make sense for the sizeable audience of professional editors out there), he was fairly sure that the shakeup will happen in April. To that end, our source’s company’s got its manufacturers on standby to be able to make and ship a new product lineup inside of 90 days.

The source has been rumored to be involved in MacBook Air docking solutions. Rumors about a new MacBook Air model have been around for quite some time. AAPL is also expected to update the processor inside the MacBook Air with the new Ivy Bridge processors. 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models are expected to shed some weight and thickness and feature the same thin-form factor of the MacBook Air.

Chip availability has been a reason for concern with the MacBooks shipping on time, with Apple unable to finalize their line until Intel provides the new Ivy Bridge platform. It is also unclear as to whether Apple will run traditional mobile chips as found in the current MacBook Pro or ultra low power chip.

If Apple releases a 15 inch Macbook Air in April, the Cupertino company could be looking at boost in sales. The design of Apple’s MacBook line up has stayed virtually unchanged for the past two generations, aside from a minor update to include the Thunderbolt port.

Many claims of an ARM based MacBook Air have been floating around the web since early last year, suggesting that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is looking to move away from Intel’s processors to something a little bit more unorthodox in desktop and laptop computers.

The ARM processor is the same one used in AAPL’s current iPhone 4S and iPad 2, which use far less power than the average processor and handles memory and app switching without many glitches or errors.

The ARM processor in next Macbook Air could possibly reduce power-requirements, but could experience a severe drop in computing power. CNet reported on a recent interview with Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer on Thursday by Citigroup analyst Richard Gardner who addressed the issue regarding an ARM based Macbook Air.

Tim Cook reiterated his view that rapid innovation on the iOS platform (and mobile OS platforms in general) will significantly broaden the use case for tablets, eventually pushing annual tablet volumes above those of traditional PCs. We have wondered whether Apple might offer an ARM-based version of MacBook Air at some point; we walked away from this meeting with the impression that Apple feels iPad satisfies–or will soon satisfy–the needs of those who might have been interested in such a product.

With Gardner’s claims gaining attention around the web and his meetings with Apple executives being taken very seriously, it is safe to say that the iPad will eventually evolve and adapt to handle many functions that the proposed ARM based Macbook Air could.

Rumors since early last year have suggested that the iPad will be gaining a significant upgrade in the coming months. The iPad 3 is expected to receive a higher resolution display, a new A6 chip, and better cameras and is slated for release later this year.

A recent report published by Digitimes suggests that Apple is working on Ultra-Thin 15-inch MacBook, possibly bringing MacBook Air specs up to the level of a full sized MacBook Pro. The report also suggests that components for the new thin device will begin shipping this month, with the eventual mass production and release of the new MacBook in March 2012.

The MacBook Air was refreshed earlier this year, with minor improvements in processor, graphics and storage upgrades. Apple’s expectations for the MacBook Pro seem very likely to follow in the footsteps of the MacBook Air, switching to the use of an SSD as opposed to the current HDD. This is a very interesting move, particularly because of the various screen sizes that customers will now have access to, having the option to choose between four sizes, 11-inch, 13-inch, 15-inch, 17-inch.

In July, it was reported that Apple was finishing up work on a new 15” MacBook, with following reports in October suggesting that the machine was nearing production. With an Ultra-Thin MacBook, closing in on MacBook Air specs, it is interesting to see whether Apple will elimante any of the four screen sizes, or perhaps one of the MacBook lines altogether.

{via MacRumors}

Apple Springs A Leak

I’m a great fan of John Grisham. If you’re not familiar with his work, Grisham is a writer specializing dramatic novels that revolve around a legal theme. One of my favorite Grisham novels is called The Pelican Brief. In it, two American Supreme Court Justices are murdered with no motive or connection. A law student, curious to find an underlying relationship between the two crimes, begins the research the Justices, their legal history, and current case load. The research results in the law student writing a paper that speculates the Justices were murdered as part of a larger conspiracy. While purely speculative on the legal students part, it turns out the legal brief is exactly the truth of the matter. It’s the ultimate conspiracy theory because it turns out to be the truth.

Much in the same way the Pelican Brief is the story of a conspiracy theory that turns out to be true, I’ve been thinking for some time about my own. Mine revolves around Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and the sudden profusion of leaks and freely available previews of upcoming Apple products (iPhone 4G / HD). For a company that has an almost mythical history of secrecy and privacy, it seems mind boggling that every third string engineer celebrating their birthday and unknown Vietnamese web site is offering us insight into some of Apple’s most closely guarded secrets. Consider it for a moment. This was the company that wouldn’t even officially confirm or deny its corporate and spiritual leader was gravely ill at the beginning of 2009 or that he had received a liver transplant to cure him of those ills. Now it seems like everyone has a next generation iPhone 4G / HD prototype to show the world. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?

It’s always been my assertion that Apple’s marketing department is one of the smartest and most forward thinking on the planet. Their overt advertisement campaigns like Mac vs. PC have been pitch perfect. They capture the minds of people by playing on the every day frustrations and emotions they associate with their current computing experience. They are keyed in such a way as to portray the Apple computing experience as easy, fun, and enjoyable; emotions most people don’t associate with computing. And of course, Apple’s constant yet simple assertion that everything Apple “just works” is a powerful reminder when things don’t. But besides the overt successes of Apple’s marketing, there have always been whisperings in the tech community of Apple’s alleged covert marketing as well. How many of the leaks and “unnamed sources inside Apple” are actually Apple employees whose task is to plant information, and misinformation, in the media. If you pay any attention to how items are marketed these days; buzz, hype, and word of mouth are much more important than splashy, overt campaigns. A story planted on a tech blog like Engadget, Gizmodo, AppleInsider, or MacRumors has the opportunity to go instantly viral; traveling across the world faster than any marketing campaign and all for the cost of a phone call with the Caller ID blocked. The Internet has made it possible for a story that started with a phone call in Northern California in the morning to stretch across the globe with little or no effort. Apple is very smart and I’m sure this isn’t lost on them.

Which leads me back to my original point. Since the media shift in March from iPad speculation to iPhone 4G / HD speculation, Apple, the company of intense control and secrecy, seems to have turned into a bunch of bumbling Keystone Kops. First an ultra secret iPhone 4G prototype was lost in a bar in California and splashed all over the pages of Gizmodo, causing a media furor that gave us a first look at the new device. Then another 4G prototype appeared on an otherwise unknown Vietnamese web site which subsequently leaked an iPod touch with a 2 megapixel camera and the new MacBook. Now I’m not saying I know this is a brilliant piece of viral marketing but like my favorite story, the facts we know start to mirror a world we can only suppose exists. I’m of the opinion that this is all in fact a staged and managed campaign by Apple. Why would they risk that? Two immediate implications come to my mind.

First, they get to test market a final prototype iPhone without actually putting it out for public consumption. The iPhone 4G prototype gets “lost”, a gadget blog picks it up, and Apple gets to gauge the reaction to their prototype. Is the reaction giddy excitement? They hit the money and start mass producing it. Is the reaction sad disappointment? Adjust appropriately and move on.

Second, after the iPad release there was a bit of a malaise in the tech news industry in regards to Apple. You know how after something exciting happens you experience a bit of a let down? That’s what was happening with Apple products. What better way then to reinvigorate the buzz and hype Apple products live on then to drop some carefully orchestrated leaks into the media? In a couple of very well timed strokes we’re all out talking about Apple and the next generation iPhone again. I’m sure the machine would have started back up again eventually but the appearance of the prototypes short-circuited the system and got things rolling again.

Like my favorite book, this all may be a large work of fiction. I’m fully prepared to accept that. But if you bring all the facts together you also see that Apple has the talent, mystique, and sheer audacity to make such a move. It ensured people were talking about the next generation iPhone well ahead of its release and brought the iPhone 4G / HD into the mainstream consciousness as well. If David Letterman is doing Top Ten Lists about the new iPhone, you know its made it to the mainstream.

Yes, this may all be a large work of fiction but it’s incredibly intriguing to think it might not be. If it is true, this would be one of the most well orchestrated viral marketing campaigns in history. We may never know the truth but the speculation is an interesting exercise none the less.

What do you think? Could the recent leaks plaguing Apple actually be an orchestrated campaign by Apple itself? Are they manipulating the media for their own ends? Or are some cracks starting to form in Apple’s otherwise secretive demeanor? Should Apple be more open in their product development cycle to prevent leaks from happening? Let us know your thoughts.