O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: Mac

  • Apple working to adopt 802.11ac 5G Gigabit WiFi standard in 2012

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    You know, 802.11n’s been speedy, but it’s also been around for a while.

    It might be time to move on to something new.

    Per AppleInsider, Apple is expected to rapidly deploy support for the new 802.11ac specification this year, adding so called “Gigabit WiFi” to new AirPort base stations, Time Capsule, Apple TV, notebooks and potentially its mobile devices.

    The new 802.11ac standard achieves much faster wireless networking speeds than the existing 802.11n specification (in use on the latest Mac, AirPort and iOS devices) by using 2 to 4 times the frequency bandwidth (from 80 to 160MHz), more efficient data transfers through sophisticated modulation, and more antennas (up to 8; existing standards support up to 4, while Apple’s Macs currently use up to 3).

    While not yet finalized as an official standard by the 802.11 Working Group, progress on the new 802.11.ac standard is occurring faster than previous efforts in wireless networking have.

    Multiple suppliers have already issued chipsets supporting 802.11ac for consumer grade applications. Key Apple component maker Broadcom announced chips supporting the standard earlier this month at CES.

    In addition to reaching networking speeds above 1 Gigabit (about three times as fast as 802.11n networks can manage), 802.11ac promises better networking range, improved reliability, and more power efficient chips, thanks to parallel advances in reducing chip size and enhancing power management.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

  • Apple releases Brother Printer drivers 2.8.1 update

    It’s not the most exciting update in the world, but it could prove useful.

    On Wednesday, Apple released updated Brother printer drivers for the Mac OS X 10.6 and Mac OS X 10.7 operating systems. Brother Printer Driver 2.8, a 150 megabyte download offering the most current drivers for Brother’s printers and multi-function devices.

    The update can be located, snagged and installed via the built-in Mac OS X Software Update feature and requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6 or later to install and run.

    If you’ve tried the new drivers and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

  • Apple releases Mac OS X 10.7.3 build 11D46 to developer community

    Hold your horses, Mac OS X 10.7.3 will get here eventually.

    Per The Unofficial Apple Weblog, Apple has released build 11D46 of its anticipated Mac OS X 10.7.3 update. The build, a 1.2 GB combo update / 989 MB delta update, focuses on iCloud document storage, Address Book, iCal, Mail, Spotlight and Safari.

    The last seed was released a week ago. Apple released Mac OS X 10.7.2 to the general public in October, which added iCloud support.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available and if you’ve had a chance to play with the build, please let us know what you make of it in the comments.

  • Apple nukes $100 rebate with purchase of qualifying printer, future incentive programs in question

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    You know, it was kind of nice having a nifty incentive/rebate to look forward to.

    Per ” target=”_blank”>AppleInsider, Apple’s promotion that offered a US$100 rebate to customers who purchased a Mac and qualifying printer has been discontinued with no alternative incentives announced.

    In a change to its promotion information webpage on Tuesday, Apple announced that the long-standing printer rebate program has been cancelled, leaving the company without any rebates or incentives for new computer buyers.

    The Cupertino, Calif., company has traditionally offered some sort of incentive when customers buy a new Mac, such as the US$100 instant rebate when purchasing a computer and printer. While the programs were usually “limited time only” affairs, Apple’s latest printer rebate was a perpetual offer that stipulated the company could end it at any time.

    Apple has advertised a US$100 printer rebate sporadically from 2001 alongside numerous other discounts and promotions for both hardware and software.

    The company is also known for its educational rebates and discounts, including the annual back-to-school promotion which has offered free iPods to gift cards.

    Currently, Apple offers discounts for students and teachers through its Education Store or at Apple Store locations and campuses though the program is more of an institution rather than form of incentive.

    It is unclear whether Apple is slowly phasing out incentives as the company’s online store usually has some type of discount.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

  • Skype updated to version 5.5.0.2069

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    On Thursday, version 5.5.0.2069 of the Skype VoIP application was released as a public beta). The new version, a 23.2 megabyte download, offers the following fixes and changes:

    – Improved Call UI.

    – Accept incoming call with video.

    – Improvements in quality and stabilization.

    Skype 5.5.0.2069 is available for free and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later to install and run.

    If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know.