Other sources speaking to Reuters said that Japanese companies are hopeful that the deteriorating relationship between Apple and Samsung will result in more contracts for them. Elpida Memory and Toshiba in particular are eager to win chip-making contracts, since Samsung has handled the foundry side of Apple’s A4 and A5 processor business, which are central components of the iPhone 4 and iPad 2, respectively.

Reports from earlier this year cited a similar display plant investment Apple was planning to make with Toshiba, to the specific exclusion of Sharp. Apple may have had a change of heart after demand for its devices continued to exceed expectations, or because, according to supply chain industry sources, LG Display recently ran into some issues related to the construction of iPad 2 LCD panels.

The renewed interest in Sharp was highlighted by MF Global FXA Securities in a note by analyst David Rubenstein on Wednesday. In the note, Rubenstein said it was “highly possible that Apple will make an investment in Sharp’s Kameyama plant to the tune of around $1 billion in order to secure a stable supply of screens for iPhones and iPads.” Sharp also announced in June that it would be changing the purpose of one of its TV plants to concentrate on making small and medium-sized LCD panels for smartphones and tablet devices.

More suppliers could hopefully result in fewer backlogs for Apple products, which means shorter waits for Apple customers. The iPad 2 only began being available to ship within 24 hours in the Apple Store at the beginning of August, nearly five months after its initial release. As for competitors, it could mean they have even more trouble finding adequate supplies to build iPad competitors at reasonable prices.

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Doubling the resolution of current Macs won’t create the kind of pixels per inch (ppi) that the iPhone 4 boasts, which makes it impossible for human eyes to discern any visible pixellation effects, but it will accomplish a resolution jump of the same magnitude as that which occurred between the iPhone 3GS and the most recent model. OS X Lion icons have a resolution of 1024×1024, double that of the current 512×512 icons found in Snow Leopard.

The apparent plans to double Mac resolution is also backed up by another source: MacRumors reports that Apple has built “HiDPI display mode” support into OS X Lion. HiDPI is what Apple uses in iOS to allow developers to provide both standard and 2x graphics in order to support both standard and Retina Display devices. It would seem to suggest that Apple is planning to provide Mac displays that operate at double resolution, but that maintain the same size for interface elements, making everything twice as crisp, just like on the iPhone 4.

OS X Lion is almost definitely launching in June, but that doesn’t mean we’ll see retina display Macs launched alongside it. Apple may just be building these features in now in anticipation of a later high-res display introduction. The MacBook Pro, for instance, is set for a major overhaul according to recent rumors, but that won’t arrive for at least another six months in all likelihood. A double resolution display would be a significant selling point if a total makeover really is in store for the machine. Of course, reports point to a possible June launch of refreshed MacBook Airs, which would make it a prime candidate for the first Retina Macs if they end up being the first Apple computers to ship with OS X Lion preinstalled.

I definitely expect Apple to make this leap sooner or later. It’s an inevitable progression, and one which the iPhone 4 set the stage for over a year ago. Were Apple not to leverage that tech in other product lines, I’d be very surprised. That the company is preparing for its arrival in Lion is a good sign we’ll see it reach shipping with Macs within the next two years (the general life cycle of a major OS upgrade), but it’ll depend on whether or not higher res displays become affordable enough to allow Apple to maintain margins without raising prices.

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My (Too?) Many Monitors

First, you need some extra hardware. Obviously, you’ll need two extra monitors, in addition to the one built in to your computer, but that’s not all. You’ll also need to pick up a USB-to-video adapter. These come in many flavors. I’ve got a Sewell USB-to-DVI external video card ($79.95), but another good cheap option is the EVGA UV Plus+ ($69.99 for the UV16). Both options come with DVI-to-VGA adapters, so you can use either type of connection.

One of your monitors should be connected via your Mac’s video-out port (whether it be mini-DVI or Mini DisplayPort, depending on your machine’s age). You can get an adapter for that direct from Apple, or from third-party vendors. That’s the easy part.

Now, connect your other monitor using the USB-to-video device you decided upon. To do this, first install DisplayLink’s Mac OS X drivers. The latest version (1.6 Beta 3 as of this writing) can be found here. Without these drivers, no USB video cards will work with a Mac.

Once you’ve installed the drivers, plug in your second external monitor using the USB video adapter. Your screen should go blue, then extend to your new monitor. Use Displays under System Preferences to make any necessary adjustments.

Note that using DisplayLink to operate a third display with your Mac isn’t perfect. Because of restrictions Apple imposes on OS access for third-party software, the DisplayLink drivers don’t support 3D acceleration or OpenGL, meaning that keynote presentations won’t work properly, and video will be choppy. But if you’re using that third display to house an extra browser window, or even for photo editing, it’s more than up to the task. Plus, you can add up to four additional monitors over USB using this method (though separate adapters would be required).

DisplayLink’s been around for a while, but I remember when I was first testing a multi-monitor solution, it took me longer than it should have to unearth this solution. Hopefully now you won’t have the same problem.

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January 2010 will mark the four-year anniversary of Apple’s first Intel-based Mac, the MacBook Pro. With Snow Leopard officially dropping support for PowerPC Macs and the next version of iLife and iWork likely to do the same, a perfect storm is brewing where Apple can begin to really push OS X to maximize the potential of the Intel hardware it supports. 2010 looks to be a big year in terms of hardware updates from Apple; here’s our roundup of predictions on what’s to come.

MacBook Pro

Just like where it started four years ago with the first Intel Mac, the biggest and most exciting updates will happen to the MacBook Pro. The good news? With the classic MacBook seeing updates recently that peg its specs a little too close for comfort with its older brother, the new MacBook Pro update should arrive sooner rather than later.

In terms of processors, I predict Apple will adopt the mobile variant of the Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors currently found in the latest iMacs. Though these mobile variants, also referred to by their codename Arrandale, only feature two cores, they also come laden with Intel’s better-than-previously-integrated-but-not-quite-as-good-as-a-standalone graphics chipset. Rumor has it that Apple isn’t a fan of this implementation (as right it shouldn’t be, desiring a dedicated professional graphics card for its high-end portable). How this will shake out is still a mystery.

For the past three years, Apple has followed a steady trend of doubling both the entry-level amount of RAM and the maximum RAM that its high end portables can support. It’s a great tactic on Apple’s part as it combats only incremental performance gains with every new processor release. 2010 should be no different, with standard models of MacBook Pros shipping with 8GB of RAM with a ceiling of 16GB.

The big news for the MacBook Pros will be the inclusion of the first Blu-ray drive. It’s been a long time coming but Apple is ready to go for it and ready to do it right. Blu-ray Superdrives will be available as an option (if not standard) on the 15” and 17” MacBook Pros.

Taking advantage of the brilliant resolution of Blu-ray, the 15” MacBook Pro will also feature a gorgeous 1920 x 1080 resolution display, packing the same number of pixels as the new 21.5-inch iMac and the current 17” MacBook Pro. Of course, this also means the 17” will get a display bump as well. 2560 x 1440 seems like a bit of a stretch, but one can always hope, right?

In regards to storage, I predict we’ll see MacBook Pros starting with 500GB hard drives on the low-end 13” model and maxing out at 1TB or 1.5TB hard drives on the high-end 17” model. Before the year is out, the high-end models might even have an option for a 2TB drive.

MacBook Air

The MacBook Air, due to it’s ultra slim and lightweight profile, will only see modest updates in 2010. Processors will be bumped to 2.26GHz and 2.53GHz (up from 1.86GHz and 2.13GHz). Hard drives on the portable will see modest size increases to 250GB SATA and 256GB solid-state drives. The next iteration of the MacBook Air will also ship with 4GB of RAM standard. Though it will be difficult for Apple to upgrade the processors, hard drives and RAM while still maintaining a profit, the price point of the MacBook Air is in a sweet spot at the moment that Apple doesn’t want to disrupt.

As a completely outlandish prediction, I predict that Apple will also release a standalone external USB Blu-ray drive for MacBook Air users and legacy users who wouldn’t mind the accessory. Price point? I’m betting $299.

MacBook

Everyone’s favorite little portable recently saw an overhaul just a few months ago. For 2010, the MacBook specs will tend towards the current MacBook Pro offerings. Standard RAM will increase to 4GB (though this may remain the max for this model) and the portable will ship with either a 320GB or 500GB hard drive as standard.

Mac mini

The Mac mini will likely see modest processor increases (2.53GHz on the entry-level and 2.6GHz on the high-end) as well as 4GB RAM and 320GB hard drives standard. Build to order options will include 1TB drives and the Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server will ship with two 1TB drives. I also predict that Blu-ray drives will be a build-to-order option as Apple is starting to recognize the importance of the Mac mini in the living room as a more robust alternative to the Apple TV.

iMac

The iMac saw a nice update in 2009 that shifted the aspect ratio of the displays from the Apple-familiar 16:10 to the more HD-familiar 16:9. As such, the entry-level iMac is capable of displaying 1080p video, if only there were a source to play it. Similar to the MacBook Pros, I also predict the iMacs will receive built-in Blu-ray drives on the high-end models, if not standard across the entire line. The iMacs will also see a shift towards the quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 chips reaching clockspeeds similar to the current Core 2 Duo iMacs (a little over 3GHz). A subsequent update later in the year could bring about even faster processors in the neighborhood of 3.2GHz to 3.5GHz. 8GB of RAM will become standard on these Macs with the ability to upgrade to 16GB if desired.

Mac Pro & Xserve

There is still life left in the Nehalem architecture as the Core i9 “Gulftown” processor will make its debut in these high-end Macs at some point next year. Manufactured on a highly efficient 32nm die, this six core processor will boost a clock speed of around 2.8GHz and outfit the Mac in both single and dual processor varieties. This essential “12-core” MacPro or Xserve will feature 8-10GB of RAM as standard and a maximum ceiling of 64GB of RAM. You don’t have to take my word for it though, just start saving pennies now.

The Elusive iTablet

And saving the best for last, we arrive at the iTablet. While many constantly peg Apple’s unreleased tablet as occupying the space between the iPod touch and the MacBook, I predict it is between the iPod touch and MacBook of 2010, not 2009. As such, I predict the iTablet to function like a Mac and run OS X. I predict the tablet to utilize an Intel Core 2 Duo processor around the 2GHz mark. Personally, I feel Apple will disappoint many if the device functions more like an iPhone (in terms of hardware specs, besting out the 3GS 600MHz processor with 256MB of RAM). While I wouldn’t expect the tablet to function as a workstation for heavy video rendering, Apple has shown a history of utilizing hardware that can pack a punch and really maximize the OS. I predict the tablet will feature between a 7” and 10” screen (personally I’m leaning towards the latter, despite rumor sites). The iTablet will also feature support for 802.11n for fast streaming of content like iTunes Extras across your local network, support for Screen Sharing for remotely administering other Macs and the ability to connect to an external display through a micro-DisplayPort connector. I also feel the iTablet will ship in two versions, differentiated by storage size (like every other Apple product ever) and feature a solid state drive like the iPhone and iPod touch. Though the iTablet may not feature a screen with high enough resolution for HD, I do believe it will support playback of HD video through an appropriate video out connector.

What’s Left?

Rumors of Intel and Apple co-developing LightPeak technology are becoming more commonplace and I predict we’ll see some announcement related to this in 2010. This high-speed optical connection might be essential to products like the iTablet that would benefit from its singular connection for power, data transfer, and HD video output. Or perhaps the technology could become employed in MacBook Pros, allowing use of one LightPeak connection to an iMac that provides power to charge the laptop, video signal carried to the iMac’s display and audio carried to the iMac’s internal speakers.

The white elephant still remaining in the room is of course Apple’s Display lineup. With a 24” LED display and a 30” display that barely beats the resolution of Apple’s new 27” iMac, I predict Apple will definitely be refreshing its display lineup. In particular, I expect the price of the 24” LED Cinema Display to drop to $699 and a new 27” LED Cinema Display, matching the same resolution as the iMac (remember, it’s 16:9, not 16:10) to arrive at $1299. I also predict Apple will introduce a new, high-end 32” LED display at $1799, the price point of the current 30” display.

All of these predictions are merely speculation, based on Apple’s history, rumor sites and published roadmaps from companies that Apple sources components from. While this article solely represents my opinion of what could be around the corner in 2010, I’d love to hear what you think or would like to see. Share a comment or two with your thoughts!

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When Apple announced their fall lineup of laptops, one thing really caught my eye. The new MacBooks can now drive a 30″ display. I don’t know how they did it, but that new integrated graphics chip can now really push out the pixels like no other MacBook has.

I had my 30″ display plugged into my Mac Pro, but I knew when Apple’s new laptops came out, I was going to make the switch back to a MacBook Pro. Knowing that I could even choose a MacBook just made the options more exciting.

That is until I noticed one little wrinkle. Well, two wrinkles actually. Number one is that the adapter that you need to connect a 30″ display to a mini DisplayPort is $99. Ouch! Number two: Apple is backordered by 4-5 weeks. I waited a week to make my purchase, hoping that it was a fluke, or that Apple would magically get more in stock. Nope, they are still backordered.

I’m not entirely sure what the deal is. Perhaps with the new MacBooks offering the 30″ display capability, there ended up being quite a bit more demand for these precious little adapters than Apple anticipated.

I ordered my laptop anyway. I chose the MacBook Pro because I have a Firewire 800 device I use alot. It’s awesome, but bittersweet, as my 30″ display is just sitting on the floor awaiting Apple’s getting back up to speed.

Nonetheless, I’m optimistic. Apple has gone with an open standard by choosing DisplayPort. This means that anybody can make a cable for it without paying royalties. Here’s hoping that someone will be quick to market with some new adapters.

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Much to the delight of Cinema Display users of years past, today Apple announced their new 24-inch LED Cinema Displays that will be shipping in November for a smooth $899. For a normal display, even if it is 1920×1200 resolution, that is a lot of money.

Apple sweetens the deal by offering something closer to docking options. It is not the hoped-for slide-your-MacBook-into-the-side display that Tom wrote about yesterday, but it does offer some good features.

The LED backlight will provide higher contrast which leads to better colors. If you compare a MacBook Air screen to a screen from a MacBook that is a couple years old, you can see how much better the LED-backlit screens are. They are so vibrant and rich. The old cinema displays are pretty good, but these will be gorgeous.

First, it doubles as a three-port USB hub to help you have a clutter-free desktop. Second, it uses the new mini display port that Apple will include on all of their devices, which will make it very easy to connect any Apple computer to this display (the mini display port will allow connections of up to 30 inches). Though they didn’t announce it, I would assume that the Mac Pros and Mac Minis will soon be shipping with this new port as well, and Apple will probably still include adapters for VGA and DVI.

I think the best innovation for this display is the MagSafe connector for charging your notebook. This is my favorite feature because I hate taking out my power cord. I like to have one plugged in at my desk at work, and one at home at my desk so I don’t have to pack that extra accessory. With the longer battery life promised by the new notebooks, this is a very welcome addition, because you won’t need to take your power adapter to your display.

The other great features that many have been hoping to see for a long time are the built-in iSight and mic. When you plug in the USB cord, it will hopefully act like a second camera and microphone. The second microphone is not too big of a deal, but being able to switch on video calls between two cameras would be pretty neat. It also has stereo speakers built in, much like the iMac speakers.

It will be interesting to see whether these extra components play nice with the new notebooks. I think that this new Cinema Display is awesome, and way better than the previous version. It adds a lot of funtionality to the regular display setup. Who is going to buy one?

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