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Updated: Forecast: global mobile subscribers, 2010-2015

By Peter Crocker

Jan. 11, 2012 - 1:58 PM PDT Jan. 11, 2012 - 1:58 PM PDT

The number of mobile subscribers is growing steadily across the globe, but each continent tells a different story about 3G and 4G penetration, market saturation and the rate of future growth. This report looks at the global mobile landscape over the next five years, forecasting the number of subscribers and the penetration of 3G and 4G services by both continent and country. In particular we look at new markets such as China and India, possibilities in developing countries in Africa and the Middle East, and saturation in the first world. Companies mentioned in this report include HTC, Motorola and Samsung. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »

2012: the year of Thunderbolt

By Darrell Etherington

Jan. 9, 2012 - 7:26 AM PDT Jan. 9, 2012 - 7:26 AM PDT

Belkin Thunderbolt Express

Apple got an early start on outfitting its Mac computers with Intel’s Thunderbolt technology. Now, almost a year later, a rush of accessories at CES indicate this might be the year average users start to get some real benefit from having Thunderbolt on board. Read more »

Why it could be the end of the line for the Mac Pro

By Darrell Etherington

Nov. 1, 2011 - 7:30 AM PDT Nov. 1, 2011 - 7:30 AM PDT

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The Mac Pro has long remained a professional tool in an otherwise consumer-focused line of Apple computers. But would Apple really close the door on its most muscular and expandable Mac model, as recent reports suggest? I think so, and there are good reasons why. Read more »

5 technologies Steve Jobs brought to the masses

By Erica Ogg

Oct. 6, 2011 - 2:02 PM PDT Oct. 6, 2011 - 2:02 PM PDT

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One of Steve Jobs’ gifts to consumers was creating sophisticated devices that hide incredibly complex technology. Some of the the most important technologies that we take for granted were vaulted into the mainstream thanks to Jobs and Apple, because they were implemented so elegantly. Read more »

Thunderbolt-equipped LaCie desktop drives hit the Apple Store

By Darrell Etherington

Sep. 20, 2011 - 11:15 AM PDT Sep. 20, 2011 - 11:15 AM PDT

LaCie little big disk

Slowly but surely, Thunderbolt accessories for Apple’s Mac computers are making their way to retail. On Tuesday Apple began selling the LaCie Little Big Disk in both 1 TB and 2 TB capacities with Thunderbolt connectivity. The drives retail for $399.95 and $499.95, respectively. Read more »

New Thunderbolt accessories signal renaissance of Mac customization

By Darrell Etherington

Sep. 7, 2011 - 6:59 AM PDT Sep. 7, 2011 - 6:59 AM PDT

Want to customize your Mac? Unless you’re happy with making changes to the RAM, you face limited options these days. But a wave of new Thunderbolt accessories could soon help your Mac do a pretty good impression of more expensive professional machines, like the Mac Pro. Read more »

New ExpressCard adapter helps you get some mileage out of Thunderbolt

By Darrell Etherington

Aug. 29, 2011 - 8:26 AM PDT Aug. 29, 2011 - 8:26 AM PDT

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The new Echo Thunderbolt to ExpressCard/34 adapter from Sonnet allows you to plug in ExpressCard/34 accessories and then use them via your Mac’s Thunderbolt port. When it arrives in October, it’ll be a way for users to connect Thunderbolt-equipped Macs to USB 3.0 drives and more. Read more »

Apple launches OSX, Macbook Air & Mac Mini Updates

By Om Malik

Jul. 20, 2011 - 6:44 AM PDT Jul. 20, 2011 - 6:44 AM PDT

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Apple today released its much awaited Mac OSX Lion operating system and upgrades to Mac Mini, Macbook Air and a new Thunderbolt I/O-based display. This is a much awaited announcement and is surely going to fuel Apple’s already red-hot business. Read more »

A peek inside the new Apple Thunderbolt cable

By Darrell Etherington

Jun. 30, 2011 - 6:28 AM PDT Jun. 30, 2011 - 6:28 AM PDT

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The new Apple Thunderbolt cable costs $49, which is a bit pricey. iFixit took a peek inside one of the new cables and came up with a good reason why Thunderbolt isn’t cheap. Even if costs don’t drop, though, this tech has legs. Read more »

Why the ability to boot from Thunderbolt on a Mac is huge

By Darrell Etherington

Jun. 29, 2011 - 12:07 PM PDT Jun. 29, 2011 - 12:07 PM PDT

thunderbolt-macbookpro

Pocketable drives that carry not just your data, but your entire computer for use with any Mac you encounter are that much closer to a reality today, thanks to the discovery that Thunderbolt on new Macs supports booting from external storage. Read more »

Apple starts selling a Thunderbolt cable, RAID systems to use it with

By Darrell Etherington

Jun. 28, 2011 - 6:05 AM PDT Jun. 28, 2011 - 6:05 AM PDT

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Apple quietly introduced its first Thunderbolt peripheral gear to the online store early Tuesday, and it’s a $49 Thunderbolt cable that connects Macs using the new high-speed, low-latency I/O standard either to third-party drives and accessories, or to other Thunderbolt-equipped Macs. Read more »

New MacBook Airs are coming. Here is why

By Darrell Etherington

Jun. 27, 2011 - 5:22 AM PDT Jun. 27, 2011 - 5:22 AM PDT

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New MacBook Airs could be right around the corner, according to stock shortages at retail partners like Best Buy and Amazon. OS X Lion is also arriving in July, which begins in only a few short days, and the Air could arrive at the same time. Read more »

Is this summer the real debutante ball for Thunderbolt?

By Darrell Etherington

Jun. 20, 2011 - 6:22 AM PDT Jun. 20, 2011 - 6:22 AM PDT

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Thunderbolt has arrived, but it’s been on the market now since February, and we’ve yet to see it really do much in the way of changing how we use our Macs. Signs indicate that this summer could be the time we do see that happen. Read more »

Report: MacBook Air Update Coming in June or July

By Darrell Etherington

May. 18, 2011 - 6:50 AM PDT May. 18, 2011 - 6:50 AM PDT

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Apple is looking to start production of new MacBook Airs in late May, in preparation for a product launch in June or July, according to Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes. The new Air would feature Intel Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt ports, according to reports. Read more »

27-inch iMac Unboxing and Hands-On

By Darrell Etherington

May. 5, 2011 - 1:17 PM PDT May. 5, 2011 - 1:17 PM PDT

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Apple just released its new iMacs, and I ordered the stock, entry-level, 27-inch configuration to replace my main work computer, a late 2008 20-inch iMac. It arrived today, so I recorded my unboxing and early hands-on experience with the computer. Bottom line: it’s a beast. Read more »

5 Reasons Why Thunderbolt Is a Big Deal (and Why You Should Care)

By Darrell Etherington

May. 3, 2011 - 11:01 AM PDT May. 3, 2011 - 11:01 AM PDT

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Apple proved today that it is firmly behind Thunderbolt as a standard for the future of Mac computing with its new iMacs. Some are hailing it as the FireWire replacement, but here are five reasons why Thunderbolt is actually a much bigger deal than that. Read more »

New 27-inch iMac Supports Dual External Display Output

By Darrell Etherington

May. 3, 2011 - 7:10 AM PDT May. 3, 2011 - 7:10 AM PDT

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The dual Thunderbolt ports on the 27-inch iMac are very exciting. Not only because it provides a lot of potential I/O transfer power, but more importantly because it also allows the new iMac to output to two external monitors simultaneously, Apple confirmed to me this morning. Read more »

Apple Introduces New Quad-Core iMacs With Thunderbolt

By Darrell Etherington

May. 3, 2011 - 5:50 AM PDT May. 3, 2011 - 5:50 AM PDT

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The online Apple Store went down Tuesday morning, and when it came back, new iMacs came with it. As rumored, the latest revision to Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer brings second generation quad-core Sandy Bridge processors, the new Thunderbolt I/O port, and more. Read more »

Thunderbolt Makes New iMacs an Electrifying Possibility

By Darrell Etherington

May. 2, 2011 - 2:23 PM PDT May. 2, 2011 - 2:23 PM PDT

Rumor has it we’ll see refreshed Apple iMacs as soon as Tuesday, May 3, including new Intel Sandy Bridge processors and new Thunderbolt ports. Even if the iMac isn’t something you’re terribly interested in, this is a release that all Apple-watchers should be excited about. Read more »

For Verizon, iPhone Makes a Booming Debut

By Om Malik

Apr. 21, 2011 - 5:40 AM PDT Apr. 21, 2011 - 5:40 AM PDT

Verizon iPhone 4

In about two months since the launch, Verizon has sold 2.2 million iPhones, giving Apple a big boost in the US. In addition to the iPhone, Verizon activated more than 500,000 4G devices including 260,000 HTC Thunderbolts. It has 104 million customers. Read more »

Why an Updated iMac Is Worth the Wait

By Darrell Etherington

Mar. 23, 2011 - 10:10 AM PDT Mar. 23, 2011 - 10:10 AM PDT

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Rumors abound that Apple’s popular all-in-one desktop computer is set for an update in May, complete with Sandy Bridge processors from Intel and a new Thunderbolt port. It’s an upgrade that’s worth waiting for, maybe more so precisely because the iMac is a desktop. Read more »

What Thunderbolt Means for End Users

By Darrell Etherington

Feb. 24, 2011 - 1:29 PM PDT Feb. 24, 2011 - 1:29 PM PDT

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Apple and Intel took the wrappers off of Thunderbolt Thursday, a new connection technology that combines data transfer and video output capabilities. But what can new MacBook Pro owners actually expect to do with this impressive new technology, now and in the future? Read more »

Intel’s Thunderbolt to Strike at Media Transfer

By Stacey Higginbotham

Feb. 24, 2011 - 7:42 AM PDT Feb. 24, 2011 - 7:42 AM PDT

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Intel’s Thunderbolt connection technology announced today will help consumers with one of their biggest digital problems, transferring huge media files in minutes as opposed to hours, and will also give Intel chips a home inside a variety of connected devices. Read more »

Thunderbolt: Apple’s Port to End All Ports?

By Darrell Etherington

Feb. 23, 2011 - 8:13 AM PDT Feb. 23, 2011 - 8:13 AM PDT

As Apple prepares to refresh its MacBook Pro line of notebook computers, it’s beginning to look like it also will introduce a new I/O port called “Thunderbolt,” based on Intel’s Light Peak. Why this port, and what might Apple have planned for it in the future? Read more »

MacBook Pro Specs Leaked, Include New “Thunderbolt” Port

By Darrell Etherington

Feb. 23, 2011 - 6:28 AM PDT Feb. 23, 2011 - 6:28 AM PDT

Just yesterday, we discussed what you might expect to see from Apple’s next generation of MacBook Pro portables. Now, a new round of rumors sheds a little more light on some potential specific hardware details, including the introduction of a new high-speed multipurpose port called “Thunderbolt.” Read more »

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