2011 Macbook Air 11.6in review

After using the old model from last year, that configuration wasn’t enough, especially on the storage end (I kept on cleaning up my the disk for un-important and un-used files). And because the Macbook Air uses an almost unibody design, there’s no turning around once you grab a variant — no user-replaceable or upgradeable memory or storage (update: but with enough determination and patience, the SSD is still replaceable but the RAM module is soldered into the board). You can have the battery replaced though. From the design end, the Macbook Air remained the same except for a few additional features — the mini Display Port has been replaced by a faster, more advanced Thunderbolt port, the keyboard is now backlit (which is a huge plus), and on paper about 40 grams heavier. The iSight camera has just been renamed to Facetime camera, but there’s no megapixel improvement there. The performance of the processor is impressive and miles away from the Core 2 Duo SU9400 Apple used from last year. This is evident when I was doing using PhotoShop and iMovie as the tasks have become more efficient and generally much faster (up to twice as fast on some tasks). Manipulating multiple images at the same time is breeze (used to be slugging in the old MacAir). Along with the new Sandy Bridge chip is the embedded Intel HD Graphics 3000 that came along with it. Apple ditched the dedicated NVidia GeForce 320M GPU from last year (looks like there’s no room for a discreet graphics inside that thin chassis) and that somehow reduced the performance of the graphics on this one (mostly on the gaming department only). When you install 64-bit Windows 7 on this hardware, Windows Experience Index will give you a sub-score of 6.4 for the CPU, 5.9 on the RAM, 5.8 on the Graphics, 6.2 on Gaming and 7.1 on the Primary Drive { via } and those are pretty good numbers. The old NVidia GeForce 320M got 5.3 and 6.1 on WEI so the Intel HD Graphics 3000 still has a bit of an edge here, over-all. The Thunderbolt port replaced the mini Display Port and though there’s not much real-world use for it now but once more devices support the technology, you can actually hook this port to up to 7 Thunderbolt devices in a single cable line (imagine what a 10Gbps speed can do over this line?). For now, all I can do with this is plug in a large external display into this port using the same old mini Display Port cable.

Isight Camera Apps - News


2011 Macbook Air 11.6in review
2011 Macbook Air 11.6in review

The iSight camera has just been renamed to Facetime camera, but there's no megapixel improvement there. Looking at the hardware inside, Apple finally moved to using Intel's Sandy Bridge chips (they skipped the first generation Core i-series) with a



My mother is getting a Chromebook

My mom uses an iMac G5 with iSight camera. I have long resented Apple for incorporating the webcam into that model, only to be make it obsolete three months later with the early switch to Intel processors. I bought the computer in October 2005.



Top 10 Secret Features In Mac OS X Lion
Top 10 Secret Features In Mac OS X Lion

Instead, you sign a piece of paper and hold it up to your iSight/Facetime camera while Preview snaps a photo. It'll then detect the signature and allow you to add it to your document. To do this, just open the PDF document you want to sign,




Most essential Mac apps for Mac newbies | Libelcom®

I have been using PC for years and have been very satisfied. Yet, about a month ago I thought it was time to add a Mac into my computer’s collection. It was a little bit overwhelming to start my brand new Mac from scratch. The most relevant question came into my mind: “Will I be able to run all of my favorite softwares?”

The answer is definitely YES . In fact, there are some other softwares and applications available absolutely for free or less than € 20,00. These are the most essential Mac applications that a Mac newbie needs to start from scratch.

Google Chrome

This browser has become my favorite and is available on Mac as well. It allows you to use other Google product with one click.

Firefox

Or do you prefer Firefox? This is also available on Mac with all it’s plugins. Safari is included so, don’t forget to add it on your dock.

 

Adobe Reader

Preview is included but if you prefer Adobe software to view all your PDF’s, you can download Adobe Reader for free.

Dropbox

An excellent apps that allows you to sync all files on both PC and Mac. Just log into your account and those same files will be transferred to your new computer.


Isight Camera Apps - Bookshelf

Robin Williams Cool Mac Apps, Twelve Apps for Enhanced Creativity and Productivity

Robin Williams Cool Mac Apps, Twelve Apps for Enhanced Creativity and Productivity

Import live video from iSight or a FireWire camera If your computer has a built- in iSight camera, a connected external iSight camera, or almost any ...

Mac OS X Lion Bible

Mac OS X Lion Bible

Application access Although they could just as easily be considered ... Your Mac's built-in iSight camera (if it has one) typically works well enough for ...

Mac OS X help line, Tiger edition

Mac OS X help line, Tiger edition

Also in October 2005,Apple introduced a new iMac G5 that features a built-in iSight camera.Working together with this camera is a new application called ...

Mac Life

Mac Life

The problem, however, is that Apple discontinued the iSight camera, ... You can prevent apps from accessing the entire Internet or just certain websites. ...

Computer arts

Computer arts

Things are compensated by a couple of new features: an iSight webcam is built ... slimline design • Built-in iSight camera • Many key apps still waiting for ...

Casual Posts Directory


Could The iPad Ship With A Built-In iSight Camera? – Blog ...
As the iPad launch nears, speculation arises that Apple's tablet device could ship with an iSight camera. In fact, Steve could have been holding an iP

Why Your Mac Needs iGlasses To See You Better | Cheap Mac ...
Got iSight camera? Get better video image and more controls in apps. ... My use of iGlasses for Mac video dates back to Apple's add on FireWire iSight camera. ...

Use Fingers And iSight Camera To Splatter Paint | Cheap Mac ...
The ultimate one-trick pony app splashes paint from your Mac's camera.

Download CamCamX for Mac - Use all your camera apps ...
Download CamCamX for Mac - Use all your camera apps simultaneously with iSight. MacUpdate.com

How to disable the built-in iSight Camera
How to disable the built-in iSight Camera ... Most new consumer Macs come with a built-in iSight camera which can be used for all sorts of fun from video chatting in iChat, ...