Apple appears to be not only synchronizing all of its products, but is also doing so with the accessories for these products. On Thursday, Apple released a shorter 0.5 meter Lightning to USB cable for all of its updated iOS devices, including the current iPhone 5, fifth generation iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPad mini, and 4th generation iPad.

This is not the first time that Apple is offering users a shorter cable length option, with the company introducing a shorter 0.5 meter Thunderbolt cable just last month. The shorter Lightning to USB cable provides the same function as the longer 1 meter cable, but gives users the option free up clutter in tight spaces behind or near a desk or table.

However, there appears to be no change in price for the shorter cable, coming in at $19, the same price of the 1m length. It likely does not cost Apple anything to produce and ship the shorter cables, making this newer cable length entirely a choice of convenience for users instead of changes in functionality.

Alongside the shortened Lightning to USB cable, Apple also introduced a tweaked version of its current In-Ear Headphones with Mic and Remote. The tweak, like the shortening of the Lightning to USB cable does not change the functionality of the headphones at all, and instead adds the same rounded remote design on the EarPods, which are standard on the iPhone and iPod.

The new remote design, pictured on the left, is slightly more rounded than the previous design and is easier to click. It is also slightly bigger in size and higher up in the headphone cord in order to provide for clearer recordings and calls. The price of the In-Ear Headphones with Mic and Remote remains at $79 and is still a viable option for users who are looking for headphones of slightly better quality than the EarPods. Apple’s 0.5 meter Lightning to USB cable as well as the tweaked In-Ear Headphones with Mic and Remote are now both available for purchase online.

{Via MacRumors}

Apple released OS X Mountain Lion late last month after announcing the software update during the company’s annual WWDC conference. On Friday, reports on the web revealed that Apple seeded the first beta of 10.8 to developers, labeled as 10.8.1, and build number 12B13. The update is available from the Mac Developer Portal and according to Apple does not have any known issues.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple requested that developers focus on testing Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange in Mail, PAC Proxies in Safari, SMB, USB, and WiFi and Audio for the Thunderbolt Display. The download is only 38.54 MB and takes up 36.4MB of space on a Mac running Mountain Lion.

According to the report and developers, Facebook integration has yet to be included in OS X Mountain Lion with this update. As Apple works out the kinks in OS X Mountain Lion with each update, the company will likely begin to work on 10.8.2 as developers begin to report new issues with the update.

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.

Apple on Monday launched a lower-end iMac for educational institutions and added it into their Online Store quietly. The new models are labeled on the website as “Education only” and is not available for individuals to purchase. This lower end iMac appeared on Apple’s Higher Educational online store and has since been updated with Tech Specs.

• 3.1GHz Intel Core i3 Dual-Core
• 21.5-inch LCD
• AMD Radeon HD 6750 with 256MB
• 2GB RAM
• 250GB Hard Drive
• SuperDrive
• Mac OS X Lion

The iMac does not carry some of the higher end features such as Thunderbolt technology but has the older mini Display port. Most educational institutions use iMacs in libraries and classrooms with older technology so this lower end iMac is the perfect way for Apple to advertise their computers and software.

Apple has offered Macs to educational institutions in the past and usually negotiated contracts with schools for a very low price. This new offer for the iMac is great for educational institutions looking to upgrade for a lower price. However, Apple has not announced any package orders for institutions for this new lower end iMac.

{via MacRumors}

According to a new report published by MacRumors Apple could be working on a 15 inch ultra-thin MacBook Pro model. While the report is not clear whether it would be branded as MacBook Air or MacBook Pro; TUAW claims that it would most probably be a Pro version.

MacBook Air has been a huge success for Apple and the product lineup has been evolving well in terms of price and features. The latest models feature the new Sandy Bridge chips, Thunderbolt technology and even a backlit keyboard. Air is a perfect product for anyone who considers “portability” the most important factor when selecting a notebook.

MacBook Pro models were updated in February to feature new chip and thunderbolt technology too however, the overall design hasn’t seen any changes since the introduction of unibody MacBooks.

Apple has always tried to make its next gen products thinner and more efficient than its predecessor. So, how will Apple change the MacBook Pro lineup? It’s not very hard to guess that the next gen MacBook Pro models could leave behind the optical drive and include flash based memory. This will allow Apple to considerably reduce the thickness and weight of the notebook and even give better performance in tasks like start up and waking from sleep.

MacBook Air now has a large install base and users love the product even though it lacks an optical drive. It’s widely known that Apple considers Air to be the future of MacBooks. As software distribution has become digital for the Mac with Mac App Store and we already buy or download songs from online stores the need for optical drives is greatly declining.

Considering the fact that Air is a successful product it’s very easy to imagine that MacBook Pro without an optical drive wouldn’t be a huge problem. It’s also important to consider that Apple wants to address the “mass audience” and most people would probably have no issues without an optical drive.

With Mac OS X Lion, iCloud and iOS 5 Apple is paving the way for a true digital world where our dependency on physical media is continuing to reduce. Of course MacBook Pro would be able to borrow optical drives of your iMac or you could get an external optical drive.

The new ultra-thin MacBook Pro model could finally bridge the gap between extreme portability and power. Apple can once again prove that thinner, lighter doesn’t mean less-powerful machines and they have already done that with the iPad 2. The new iPad is 33% thinner but still packs in the dual-core A5 chip, two cameras and a gyroscope.

What do you think about the ultra thin MacBook Pro? Would you consider buying a “Pro” product without an optical drive? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Last week, rumors and reports from various sources suggested that Apple would be releasing an updated Macbook Air with a faster processor and integrated Thunderbolt technology. On Wednesday, Apple did exactly that and released new Macbook Air models with Sandy Bridge chips from Intel, thunderbolt ports and Mac OS X Lion preinstalled.

The latest Sandy Bridge chips are also included in the new Mac Mini, also introduced today. Both the Macbook Air as well as the Mac Mini retain their original design but get major internal changes as they now support Bluetooth 4.0, a new specification that offers ultra low-power data transfer and has the ability to open the Macs to a variety of new wireless peripheral devices.

Apple also brought back the Backlit keyboard to the Macbook Air, a feature that was in the original but was removed in the Fall 2010 refresh. The Macbook Air and new Mac Mini will be shipping with Mac OS X Lion pre-installed, which also released today alongside the new hardware.

“Portable, affordable and powerful, MacBook Air is the ultimate everyday notebook,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “MacBook Air features our most advanced technology and is an ideal match for Lion, especially with its new Multi-Touch gestures, full-screen apps, Mission Control and Mac App Store.”

The new Macs join the Macbook Pro with Thunderbolt technology and have the ability to hook up to Apple’s new LCD display

Apple has truly stepped up the game in terms of affordable, portable, and powerful with the latest iterations of the Macbook Air, Mac Mini, and the driving force behind them, Mac OS X Lion.

{via MacRumors}

The web has been abuzz with rumours of new Macbook Air and Mac Pro models. With newly released images on Apple’s website, and some clearing up of part numbers, it is clear that the part number for the Macbook, is actually a part number for a Thunderbolt LED Display.

MacRumors spotted images of the display on Apple’s Online Store, and identified it in the URL as the “MC914″ part that had been previously thought to be a new MacBook.

The display looks identical to those on sale available online and in retail stores, however, the screen depicts promotional images of Mac OS X Lion. The MiniDisplay Port on the back of the LED display will be replaced with a Thunderbolt port and will support up to two displays on one Macbook, enabled with Thunderbolt.

A number of images have also been released, revealing details about Apple’s hardware plans. In the gallery images, a Mac Mini is hooked up to a new LED display, confirming that any new Mac Mini hardware will possibly retain the same form factor. The Mac Pro in the images also shows the same hardware design, although it was rumored to feature a redesign. Apple will continue to use images of the old Mac Pro in promotional galleries, until they update the Mac line and redesign the Mac Pro.

Apple has yet to formally release a statement on any of the promotional images, hardware redesigns, Thunderbolt technology in the LED display, or prices.

Would you buy an LED Display with Thunderbolt technology? Do you think it is worth the money to upgrade?

{via MacRumors}

Photo by kimb0lene

With the introduction of the 2010 Macbook Air models, Apple scrapped the backlit keyboards in order to make the device more affordable. The backlit keyboard will reportedly be making a return to the new 2011 MacBook Air, pegged for a Summer 2011 time frame.

A report from AppleInsider mentions that Apple is planning to bring back the back lit keyboards in the imminent refresh.

According to people familiar with the matter, back lit keyboards will join the string of hardware enhancements planned for the new 11.6- and 13.3-inch notebooks, which are also expected to adopt high-speed Thunderbolt ports, an upgrade to Intel’s Sandy Bridge architecture, and possibly high-speed 400MBps flash memory.

With devices like the Macbook Air, Apple customers are consistently looking for improvement, and more features. Users want a reason to upgrade to the latest iteration of the device. Apple knows this, and is giving them what they want. The backlit keyboard gives illumination to the keyboard in the dark and adjusts to the ambient lighting in the room. The feature is currently available in Apple’s Macbook Pro models, the higher end of the MacBook line.

Part numbers of new Macbook Air models have already been released, and Apple has yet to refresh the online store or announce any event. Apple is likely waiting for the release of Mac OS X Lion in order to release the Macbook Airs as a packaged deal.

{via MacRumors}

A teardown of Apple’s Thunderbolt cable from iFixIt revealed why Apple placed a hefty pricetag of $50 on the cable. Usually, Apple’s cables range anywhere from $19 to $29 and are on the cheaper end of price, but the latest creation, the Thunderbolt cable is much more than meets the eye.

A report published by  Arstechnica, noted that the Thunderbolt cable is a “smart” or “active” cable that contains circuitry and firmware, hence the large sum required to purchase it. iFixIt’s tear down found two Gennum GN2033 chips in the connector, one on each side. Other support chips and resistors were also found for total of 12 chips and many smaller electronic components.

All of these expensive components are required in order for the cable to operate with the high speed that it is built for and ultimately may be the obstacle in the way for widespread Thunderbolt adoption. Gennum’s chip was tested and is described to be a transceiver that allows “reliable data transfer at cutting-edge speeds over low cost, thin-gauge copper cables.”

The Thunderbolt drive shows an 11x improvement over the FireWire 800 and is much more reliable and easily adoptable than other types of drives. The active, or “Smart” cabling in the current Thunderbolt ports found in the iMac and Macbook Pros show that it will be compatible with future Thunderbolt cables.

…the port you’ll find in new MacBook Pros and storage devices can actually take an optical cable when those are cost-effective enough to roll out, because Intel will eventually bake the optical transceivers into the cables themselves.

Intel plans to upgrade to optical cabling in the future and converge older ports and cables to work as one. Apple’s Thunderbolt technology, produced with the help of Intel has the ability to become the next major standard of data transfer cables and could be widely adopted by this time next year.

Currently, the iMac and Macbook Pros are the only hardware in Apple’s lineup to feature Thunderbolt technology. Apple has not yet revealed any future Thunderbolt plans for it’s computers, although it is likely that it will be integrated into the new white Macbook.

Do you think the Tunderbolt cable is worth $50? Have you already bought one? Sound off in the comments below!

Image Credit: Arstechnica

Apple on Tuesday released a Thunderbolt cable for faster data transfers and the latest addition to Apple’s online store will cost you $49. The Thunderbolt cable measures 2 meters and supports the next-generation data port found on Apple’s latest iMacs and MacBook Pros.

The cable can also be used in a Target Disk Mode between two Macs or to make a Thunderbolt-equipped iMac serve as a display for a new MacBook Pro or any other pieces of tech that you own that supports the latest technology in data transfer.

Apple also added a number of RAID systems to their store, ranging anywhere from $1500 to $2000. The systems are as follows:

• The least expensive option is the Promise Pegasus R4 with 4TB of data. It features four 1TB 7200-rpm drives delivering over 500MB/s of disk performance.
• For $1,499, the Pegasus R4 can be doubled to 8TB, operating at the same 500MB/s.
• For more speed, Apple offers the Promise Pegasus R6. It includes six 1TB 7200-rpm hard drives that deliver over 800MB/s of disk performance for $1,499.
• Finally, the R6 can also have twice the storage with the 12TB offering, priced at $1,999.

Thunderbolt was introduced with Apple’s new MacBook Pro model and was a jont project between Apple and Intel. Thunderbolt has the potential to be included into new USB, which has had a grim impact on technology (eg. USB 3.0). It could be used to sync iPhones, iPods, and iPads at faster speeds and could allow the iPad to connect to TVs faster through HDMI support.

Currently, Apple’s Thunderbolt cable and RAID systems are the only products supporting lighting fast transfers.

{via AppleInsider}

Intel created the Thunderbolt I/O technology that currently runs in Apple’s iMac and Macbook Pro lines. While Intel is credited for developing the technology, Apple filed did the trademark work for the  I/O name which created some confusion about who actually owned the trademark. According to a recent report published by Bright Side of the News, Intel now has full rights of the Thunderbolt trademark:

As part of our collaboration with Apple, they did some of the initial trademark filings.  Intel has full rights to the Thunderbolt trademark now and into the future. The Thunderbolt name will be used going forward on all platforms, irrespective of operating system.

Intel created the I/O technology capable of high-speed connectivity of up-to 100Gbps using optical cable and originally called it Light Peak. Apple later suggested Intel to replace the optical connection with copper and allow capability of 10 Watts of power, which eventually led to a name change to Thunderbolt I/O.

The high-speed data transfer technology was introduced earlier this year with Apple’s MacBook Pro notebooks and iMac all-in-one computers, and is will likely be made available in the Macbook Air as well as the Mac Mini.

Here is some potentially exciting news for connectivity geeks, via Patently Apple. Apple has applied for, and been granted a patent on an all new slimline connector which is not only possibly for iOS devices but also for future Macs.

Whilst DisplayPort and USB 3.0 seem to be the main focus here, it seems likely that perhaps Thunderbolt (Intel’s “Light Peak” multi-purpose high speed connection technology, rebranded for Apple as Thunderbolt) may also show up in this connector at some point.

Although “Light Peak” was generally expected to be delayed, and also an optical only technology when brought to market, it made its first appearance on new Apple Macs recently in a form specifically tailored for Apple’s computers. Apple were one of Intel’s partners in the technologies inception.

Apple have a history of trying to reduce the amount of connectors, and the size of them on their devices. They also work very hard to keep connector compatibility between hardware iterations. Some see this as a bad thing as it typically results in expensive, proprietary connectors. But others love the simplicity of this admittedly premium, but space efficient and user friendly model.

Either way, the possibility of all of our devices having one multi-purpose connector, which operates between both desktop and mobile equipment, and offers many different flavours and levels of connectivity speed and complexity, is certainly an exciting prospect.

Will Apple surprise us with this connection technology in its upcoming iPhone 5? Will it be crippled in OS X or iOS so that only certain software can access all the functionality of the cables? Much like the current video cables for iOS are. Time will tell.. Let us know your thoughts in the comments…

{via Patently Apple}