CPU Central:

On April 8 Intel will announce Z77, Z75, H77 and B75 chipsets. On the same day we should see numerous reviews of 75 and 77 boards with, well, Sandy Bridge CPUs. Ivy Bridge processors will be announced in the 4th week of April, between April 22 and April 28. The announcement will include only quad-core models: mobile Core i7 and Core i7 Extreme families, desktop Core i7, Core i5-3570K, i5-3570T, i5-3550, i5-3550S, i5-3450 and i5-3450S. The announced chips will be available for sale on April 29.

What does this all mean? An iMac upgrade? Sure, why not. But my best guess is that sometime in early summer we will see the launch of a new 15-inch Macbook Pro that is thinner and lighter. Frankly, the current generation of Macbook Pros are long in the tooth. After you have used the 13-inch Macbook Air, switching back to even the fastest Macbook Pro feels like a step back — it is heavy and feels like a brick. Instapaper creator Marco Arment thinks that there could be two 15-inch machines, a Pro and an Air:

My guess is that they pick two: they make a 15″ Air that drops the Pro’s discrete GPUand downgrades to dual-core 17-watt CPUs, effectively pairing Air-class performance with a larger screen. In a 15″ Air-like chassis, this could be very cool-running and quiet with a great battery life and a significant weight savings from the 15″ MacBook Pro. Apple could plausibly launch such a 15″ Air in June with the 1.8 GHz i5-3427U and 2.0 GHz i7-3667U, also bringing those CPU options to the 11″ and 13″ Airs in a minor simultaneous update. To placate pro users and buy some time until Intel makes lower-wattage quad-core CPUs, Apple could keep selling the current-style 15″ MacBook Pro with fast, hot CPUs and GPUs alongside the 15″ Air.

Earlier this year, after reading a report on Electric Pig, Erica Ogg argued that it makes sense for Apple to merge the Air and Pro line-ups, and they would be better off simplifying things even further for mainstream consumers. What do you guys think?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• CES 2012: a recap and analysis
• Forecast: Tablet App Sales To Hit $8B by 2015
• Controversy, courtrooms and the cloud in Q1

It’s been rumored before, but on Wednesday a new report is saying that not only will Apple introduce a 15-inch Air, it will replace the 15-inch Pro, or as Electricpig’s source put it, “effectively killing the Pro for the average consumer.” That is, the 17-inch MacBook Pro might hang around for professionals who need that larger screen. They place the timing of the rollout of new MacBook Airs in April.

The source is a “premium Mac accessory maker” involved in docking solutions. That they would have direct knowledge of Apple’s plans isn’t too likely, but that they would be planning for an updated MacBook would be very much expected.

But whether the source does have direct knowledge or not, expanding the MacBook Air lineup is a very logical step for Apple to take. After using an Air for any amount of time, the Pro, while more powerful and with more ports, feels bulky by comparison.

The Air is no longer an expensive, niche device: the 13-inch Air starts at $1,299 and the 13-inch Pro starts at $1,199. It’s one of Apple’s best-selling laptops — as of last fall, it accounted for nearly a third of MacBooks sold. That’s a good demonstration that Air characteristics that were once considered trade-offs (no optical drive, no ethernet port, less local storage) aren’t barriers for everyone, especially in today’s cloud- and iCloud-centric computing era.

For these reasons it’s fairly easy to see why Apple would want to expand the Air lineup to larger screen sizes and potentially more buyers. But it’s true that the Air isn’t for everybody. Would you be disappointed if Apple discontinued the 15-inch MacBook Pro?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• CES 2012: a recap and analysis
• 12 tech leaders’ resolutions for 2012
• The future of notebooks: Following in the footsteps of the MacBook Air

Challenges with high-res displays

Apple would have to address significant challenges in order to bring a 2880×1800 resolution display to a MacBook Pro, which DigiTimes reports is in the works. Currently, the max screen res on the biggest MBP is 1920×1200, so a bump up to the reported resolution wouldn’t require a doubling of vertical and horizontal pixels, but it would be a considerable step up.

And taking that step would come with a cost in terms of requiring more processor power, and in terms of battery life, too. Also, producing high-res displays at scale is a tricky thing; the higher the resolution, the more difficult it would be for Apple to produce screens in THE numbers they require. But, next-generation chips from Intel could address some of these problems, especially as Intel says it’s investing more on graphics and media.

What Apple stands to gain

Some might think that Apple stands to add relatively little to its MacBook Pro with the introduction of a much higher-resolution display; Apple’s notebook market share has steadily risen for many years, after all, and the last time it changed its max resolution at the top end of its laptop offerings was in 2008. Do users really need higher resolution in a notebook?

The short answer is yes. Digital graphics and video pros invest in larger-screened MacBook Pros precisely because of their real estate advantage relative to other computers. Advancements in this area mean that Apple can continue to maintain a competitive advantage with pro users who still seek portability as well as power, and don’t want to depend on connecting to an external display to accomplish certain tasks. And with HD resolution offerings set to become more common among PC laptops, any measures Apple can take to stay ahead of the game will go a long way in terms of consumer perception.

OS X Lion also suggests that this is something Apple has been working toward for a while now, since it contains resolution independent features that allow developers to include “2X” graphics resources just like those found in apps compatible with the iPhone’s Retina Display. That the system is basically ready to go in Lion suggests the introduction of Macs that can take advantage of it during the lifetime of that OS.

Less of a leap than you might think

A jump up in resolution is actually something Apple is just about due for in its MacBook Pro line anyway. And the proposed change isn’t about something as dramatic as doubling res, as it is with the rumored iPad 3. It’ll no doubt be a big step up, but one in a key area that consumers will easily be able to see and experience, which is crucial in a market where big, visible feature changes are now relatively few are far between.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Tablet market to hit over 377 million units by 2016
• Controversy, courtrooms and the cloud in Q1
• A look back at mobile in Q1

A MacBook Pro cooling stand that doesn’t compromise style

Cooling stands that prop your MacBook Pro and provide a little more room for air circulation than you get from the thin elevation of the rubber pads are generally just frames without much attention paid to aesthetics. A cooler laptop theoretically means longer device life, since you can run it for longer while keeping the internal temperature down, and, as most dedicated computer users know, heat is the enemy of fragile internal components.

The TILT is designed to be a cooling stand you’d be proud to put on your MacBook Pro, and even leave on. It clips directly to the bottom of your Apple notebook, and uses polycarbonate ABS made to look like your MacBook’s aluminum casing to blend in with Apple’s beautiful industrial design. Unlike most notebook stands, it features a closed bottom, which makes it easier to use on your lap, and it only adds less than an inch of height to the Mac as well as a light 8 ounces of weight.

It also features a built-in fan system that’s powered via USB if you think you need even more heat-saving power than the added elevation provides. But the best part actually might be the tripod mount built in to the TILT. I can think of plenty of situations where having a MacBook Pro mounted on a tripod would come in handy, especially at photo or video shoots, or for an impromptu small group video or slide show viewing party.

TILT has already met its Kickstarter funding goal, so it’ll become a reality. For now, only the model designed for the 15-inch MacBook Pro is going into production, but a 13-inch model is in the work. A pledge of $45 or more nabs you a pre-order.

Touch typing, via a sleek featherweight device on the iPad

I like my iPad, but I’ve never really been able to use it as a laptop replacement, at least not when it comes to writing. The touchscreen keyboard is fine for banging out a quick Twitter update, but for longer posts, it’s downright unpleasant, especially for someone as used to touch typing as I am. The TouchFire is a project that aims to bring touch typing to the iPad, in the least obtrusive way possible.

The TouchFire is a thin, flexible keyboard overlay that can actually live within the iPad’s smart cover, so you can roll it up and away when not in use. Despite its thickness, it offers real force resistance when typing, so that you actually feel like you’re hitting keys, thanks to a series of micro-structures within each key designed by project co-founder Brad Melmon, a product designer and engineer with a strong resume.

I can’t wait to get my hands on a TouchFire, because it looks like the perfect way to make creating written content on the iPad as easy as possible, without the need for Bluetooth accessories or elaborate add-ons. Like the TILT, it has already met its funding goal, so your pledge of $45 (the level at which you start qualifying for preorders) will definitely bear fruit.

Got an exciting Kickstarter project? Send it to us for consideration in our regular roundup of promising accessories.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Mobile Q2: Smartphone growth surges; iPad’s rule continues
• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• Forecast: Tablet App Sales To Hit $8B by 2015

PlugBug is a simple adapter that connects easily to your existing MacBook power adapter, adding a 10 W USB charger (the same wattage as the one that ships with the iPad) for charging your iOS devices. The 10 W capacity means that it will charge your iPad faster than the standard iPhone and iPod charger, and it will still also be able to charge those devices just as easily, too.

This innovative but oh-so-simple design from Twelve South will really come in handy for travelers, since it means you can use the often-scant hotel power outlets to maximum efficiency: Just one outlet is needed to charge both your MacBook and a USB-connected device, and the design keeps the top outlet in a two-socket wall panel free for other uses.

Even if you aren’t taking your MacBook with you, PlugBug stands on its own as a very noticeable (it’s red) solo iPad and iPhone charger, thanks to a bottom attachment that covers the power brick plug component when it’s not in use. At $34.99, it’s actually only $5 more than the standard Apple iPad 10 W power adapter, too, so it really seems like a no-brainer for multiple Apple device owners.

This is the first iPad and MacBook accessory in a while that feels like a necessity to me. Anyone else blown away by the design?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• CES 2012: a recap and analysis
• The future of notebooks: Following in the footsteps of the MacBook Air
• Mobile Q2: Smartphone growth surges; iPad’s rule continues

Macs retain higher overall resale values than many other PCs, but they don’t last forever. But how do you know when to act? What are the symptoms of impeding Mac death or obsolescence, and when is a good time to consider replacing an old Mac with a new one?  The following seven points should help you make an educated decision about whether or not to invest in one of the new MacBook Pros unveiled Monday, or any other new Mac for that matter.

1. Will not run OS X Lion (or Snow Leopard). In the past, if you had a Mac running an older version of OS X, you could keep it running for a long time without much issue. But iCloud’s minimum specs have changed that. Your Mac must have an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor to run Lion 10.7.2 which is required to use iCloud on a Mac. If you’re not certain your Mac meets these requirements, you can easily identify exactly what Mac you have and get the specs from there. Users hoping to update to iCloud from MobileMe will need a newer Mac, and those hoping to stay on top of what could become the core of Apple’s business will also want to upgrade.

Not everyone needs the convenience features of iCloud, but you should note that Apple has also stopped releasing security updates for older Macs as well.  To play it safe, you may need to have a Mac that can at least run Snow Leopard.

2. Battery no longer keeps its charge. While certainly not the primary reason to get rid of a MacBook that still works when plugged in, it’s a sign that you may be getting near the end of your machine’s useful life.  Apple does have a battery replacement program, even for MacBooks that do not user-accessible batteries, but the cost of replacing a battery can run anywhere from $130 to $180, and if your battery is past its prime, other system components might be nearing their end, too. It may be time to consider turning that laptop into a desktop, and get a new MacBook.

3. Most-used apps are sluggish. New software tends to get bigger and more demanding with time. With each new update comes a lot more features. These may not be features you need or care about, but sometimes they’re required in order to maintain compatibility with a particular file format. You can always try sliding back to an earlier version to preserver performance, but if apps you use time and time again are making your computer slow or unusable, it’s probably time to look for something new.

4. An iPad outperforms your Mac. It may surprise you to learn that the current iPad 2′s geek bench scores are about as high as the Mac mini G4′s scores from 2005. You could try to clean out your Mac, free up some hard drive space, or even add some memory or a solid state drive to help and improve performance. But at the end of the day, there is a limit to the gains in performance you can squeeze out of older hardware, and the cost of doing so might outweigh the benefit.

5. Difficult-to-replace component has failed. If you’re not comfortable replacing the internal components of you Mac yourself, service prices can become cost-prohibitive when compared to buying a new Mac.  You may also end up being very disappointed following a major upgrade when something else goes wrong, like a hard drive failure.  With MacBooks especially, when one part starts to fail, the rest are likely not too far from failing as well.

6. The Mac you want was just updated. Following the rumors about possible Apple product updates can become more obsession than hobby.  I have looked toward’s MacRumor’s Buyer’s Guide for years now in an effort to track down when a particular product is going to be updated.  The simplest rule to follow, however, is that if you need a new Mac, buy a new Mac. But if your need happens to coincide with a fresh product update, don’t hesitate.

7. You own a PC, but all your mobile devices are Apple. Like works best with like, and that’s particularly true of Apple products. Apple has a great guide to help with the transition from a PC to a Mac.  And with Apple’s Boot Camp, VMware Fusion or Parallels, you can keep on using Windows on a Mac if you like.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• CES 2012: a recap and analysis
• The future of notebooks: Following in the footsteps of the MacBook Air
• Mobile Q2: Smartphone growth surges; iPad’s rule continues

Entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pros now have 2.4 GHz and 2.8 GHz Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, depending on which base configuration you choose, and each have more storage by default, with 500 GB in the entry-level model and 750 in the higher-end version, vs 320 and 500 before the update.

The 15-inch Pros have faster versions of the quad-core Intel Core i7 chips that power them, and the option to upgrade to a 2.5 GHz option has been added to the computer’s customization selections. Apple has also upgraded the graphics card options, making the more powerful Radeon HD 6750M standard for the base 15-inch, with 512 MB of dedicated memory, and introduced the Radeon HD 6770M with 1 GB of dedicated memory for the more expensive option.

Finally, the 17-inch MBP now has a 2.4 GHz, quad-core i7 processor, with an option to upgrade to a 2.5 GHz chip. The Radeon 6770M is now the standard graphics card option, with 1 GB of dedicated memory. Also, you can now upgrade your custom drive on the 17-inch to a 750 GB 7200-rpm model.

This is actually a very modest update overall, and Apple clearly thinks so too, since there’s no mention of the changes on the company landing page, and no “new” badge on the MacBook Pro category in the Apple Store home page, either. Still, if you were holding out on a MacBook Pro purchase pending updates, this is probably the best you can expect for at least another four to six months. We’ll likely see benchmarks soon that show just how much the under-the-hood changes affect performance.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Mobile Q2: Smartphone growth surges; iPad’s rule continues
• TV Apps: Evolution from Novelty to Mainstream
• Ups and downs for cleantech in Q1

Kickstarter-backed iPhone, iPod and iPad accessories

The PadPivot is a versatile iPad (or any other tablet or e-reader) stand that folds up for easy storage, and works both on hard surfaces like a table or desk, or on your thigh for holding your iPad steady while browsing or watching video on the couch. In my review, I wasn’t shy about calling the PadPivot the most practical stand I’d ever come across, and that remains true after a couple more weeks of usage.

PadPivot easily exceeded its funding goal of $10,000, raising $190,352 on Kickstarter, where anyone can pledge small amounts to see the project become a reality. Another project that blew past its initial funding target, the iPod nano watchbands called LunaTik and TikTok, also went on to pick up a prize retail distribution deal, and are now available on Apple retail store shelves.

Kickstarter’s advantage is its ability to act as a focus group (designers will change their product based on feedback during the funding period), test market (pledges act as pre-orders, so retailers have a ready-made sample of prospective buyer interest) and funding round. Thanks to that triple-pronged approach, consumers get to select from some unique accessories that might not have made it through the design-by-committee process that churns out relatively interchangeable designs at established accessory-makers.

When the PadPivot arrives on Best Buy and Future Shop (which is owned by Best Buy) shelves, it’ll bear in-house RocketFish branding. The device will still retain the same design that makes it so handy, and the PadPivot name, however, and should retail for around $39.99. Check it out in action below.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• How to Market Your iPhone App: A Developer’s Guide

The Blackbox Bamboo was originally designed based on creator Lance Atkins’ experiences travelling with a MacBook Pro on an African backpack safari, during which time the neoprene sleeve he was using provided inadequate protection, resulting in a broken Mac. He created the first Blackbox Case out of oak in 2010 to provide a heartier alternative to traditional soft sleeves. Now, the company wants to expand their business and provide an entire, new line of cases made out of the more sustainable bamboo.

The Blackbox Bamboo will come in a choice of two colors, either with a carbonized brown stain or in natural bamboo finish. It will also come in a variety of sizes, including one that fits the iPad 2 with or without the official Apple Smart Cover attached, one for both the 11 and 13-inch MacBook Air, and one each for 13, 15 and 17-inch MacBook Pro models. All varieties come with a leather strap with a snap closure for securing your device in the Blackbox Bamboo.

Kickstarter backers qualify for pre-orders starting at $79, which gets you the iPad 2 version, and range up from there depending on which model you’re interested in. It’s a pretty cool product that appeals to the outdoor adventurer in me, though I’m not sure I wear that mantle often enough to qualify. Anyone else’s fancy tickled by the Blackbox Bamboo? Be sure to check out the video below before you answer.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• How to Market Your iPhone App: A Developer’s Guide

It turns out that Mac Intel chips have a built-in feature called THERMTRIP that will temporarily suspend the CPU when things get hot, and shut down the CPU altogether when things get too hot. Speculation is that this temperature is somewhere in the neighborhood of 120-130ºC. While my Macs did not reach three digit temperatures, the increase did alarm me. Luckily, as you can see, the temperatures settled down to a normal range after a few days. This is likely due to the machines running a lot of initial tasks like Spotlight indexing of your entire drive just after the Lion upgrade.

Still, if you, like me, are concerned and want to do something a little more proactive than just waiting, here are a few precautionary measures you can take:

iStat Pro Dashboard Widget. One of the first (and lately the only dashboard widgets) I installed is iSlayer’s iStat Pro. This widget will allow you to monitor several of your Mac’s vital statistics, and with the optional companion iOS app, you can monitor your Mac from your iPhone when you’re attached to the same Wi-Fi network. Information reported includes systems various temperatures, and the speed of your Mac’s internal fans. The problem is that as your Mac keeps getting hotter, your fans aren’t spinning faster, something for which we turn to the next tool.

smcFanControl Menu utility for Mac. To manually modify the speed of your internal fans, you can install Hendrik Holtmann’s smcFanControl. For some of the older Macs that are still technically capable of running OS X 10.7 Lion, you may find that they are having some difficulty keeping up at times, and the default fan speed just will not provide the relief required. This menu bar item will allow you to change the minimum fan speed and effectively take control of just how fast your fan will blow. I created two custom settings: a midrange setting at 4000 RPM, and a high setting at 6000 RPM and will turn them on when I see things get a little too hot. I then set things back to Apple’s default levels once things cool down.

Purchase a laptop stand. Proper ventilation is key to allowing your Mac to cool down under normal conditions. Placing your laptop on a pillow or blanket because it is running hot may do more harm than good, especially if you end up blocking the vents that are trying to expel all that hot air. My personal favorite is the Cooling Bar from Just Mobile for $39.95US.  I find it convenient to carry with me and easy to set up.  Just Mobile has other stands for your MacBook as well. And if you tend to keep your Macbook closed when at a desk, consider Twelve South’s BookArc Pro for $49.99 U.S.

Let us know if you have other tips for keeping your Mac cool under pressure, or if you’re seeing temperature spikes under Lion that last beyond the first few days.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• How to Market Your iPhone App: A Developer’s Guide