Want to buy my 15″ 2011 MacBook Pro? October 6, 2011
Posted by johnthrasher in Apple.Tags: Apple, buying a new mac, MacBook Pro, Steve Jobs
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So much Apple-related stuff on my blog lately, but that’s just how I roll.
I am offering up my 15″ 2011 MacBook Pro to my Facebook, Twitter and blog followers in hopes that I can help someone out. If no one on said accounts is interested, I’m going to put it on eBay as a last option! I just bought this MacBook like 2 weeks after it was updated in February, so it’s brand spanking new. I absolutely LOVE it, but won’t be traveling for work as much so I want to switch up my computer situation. It runs like a million dollars and is far and beyond the best computer I’ve ever owned. It’s in “New” condition and is cosmetically in really great shape. There is a tiny bit of wear next to the trackpad where your wrist would rest, but it’s a lot more visible in photos (like below) than in real life. I’ve taken great care of this thing!
Below are the details on the MacBook Pro. It comes with the original boxing, power cord, literature, DVDs and even the original Apple stickers!
15″ MacBook Pro
- 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (SO fast)
- 4GB ram
- 500GB 5400-rpm hard drive
- Intel HD Graphics 3000
- AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256MB GDDR5
- Thunderbolt port
- SD card slot
- 7 hour battery life
- MagSafe Power Adapter
- OS X 10.7 Lion
Here’s a screen shot of the specs straight from the computer itself:
So how much am I asking for it, you ask? Currently, you can buy this exact computer from Apple for $1,800. After tax I paid almost $2,000 for this machine. I am offering it to Facebook, Twitter and my blog readers for $1,400. This price is semi-negotiable. This is a huge discount considering the price of a brand new one.
If you would like to contact me regarding purchasing this beauty of a machine, or have any questions you can e-mail me at jthrasher5@gmail.com. Please, serious inquiries only!
Goodbye Steve Jobs October 5, 2011
Posted by johnthrasher in Apple.Tags: Apple, death, Steve Jobs
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Tonight, the world found out that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has died. After battling pancreatic cancer, and apparently liver cancer as well, Steve’s untimely death comes as a shock to me and so many others.
Yes, I am an Apple fan boy, but I am because of the brilliant mind and genius of Steve. Steve has truly changed my life, and in some capacity, so many more across this planet.
Steve gave the commencement address to the 2005 graduating class of Stanford and one part of it really blew me away:
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
If those aren’t words to live by, I don’t know what are.
So many people have spoken out about Steve’s death, but New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg had one of the most eloquent quotes that I’ve ever read in the wake of someone’s death:
Tonight, America lost a genius who will be remembered with Edison and Einstein, and whose ideas will shape the world for generations to come. Again and again over the last four decades, Steve Jobs saw the future and brought it to life long before most people could even see the horizon. And Steve’s passionate belief in the power of technology to transform the way we live brought us more than smart phones and iPads: it brought knowledge and power that is reshaping the face of civilization. In New York City’s government, everyone from street construction inspectors to NYPD detectives have harnessed Apple’s products to do their jobs more efficiently and intuitively. Tonight our City – a city that has always had such respect and admiration for creative genius – joins with people around the planet in remembering a great man and keeping Laurene and the rest of the Jobs family in our thoughts and prayers.
Steve was our generation’s Henry Ford, and an American who turned his idea in his garage in to the most powerful and successful company on the planet. What a life.
Rest in peace, Steve, wherever you may be.
WWDC Recap: Details about Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud June 6, 2011
Posted by johnthrasher in App Talk, Apple.Tags: Apple, iPhone, Steve Jobs, Mac, WWDC, iPad, iOS, World Wide Developers Conference, OS X, Lion
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Today was the annual WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) where Steve Jobs gave the Keynote to debut new products from Apple. Below are a few bullet points you’ll want to know about today’s event!
Steve Jobs gave the Keynote – This might not seem like a big deal to some. He’s the CEO of Apple, right? If you’re not an Apple fanboy or fangirl, then you should know that Steve Jobs had taken a medical leave of absence from Apple a few months ago. He has done this before while he battled pancreatic cancer. This time, we don’t know what the cause of his absence is, but he looked his typical skinny self during today’s Keynote. (See photo above) Congratulations to Steve for pulling through, and I hope he gets 100% healthy if he’s not already!
10 new features for Mac OS X Lion - Available exclusively on the Mac App Store for only $29.99 sometime in July.
- Multitouch Gestures – Self explanatory.
- Mission Control - Mission Control brings together full-screen apps, Dashboard, Exposé, and Spaces in one new feature that gives you a bird’s-eye view of everything on your system. With a single swipe on the trackpad, your desktop zooms out to Mission Control. Think of it as the hub of your system: View everything and go anywhere with just a click.
- Full Screen Applications – FaceTime can now track facial features.
- Mac App Store – Built in to Lion. In App purchasing.
- Launchpad – A simple pinch gesture, and you can have all of your apps available instantly.
- Resume – When you close an application in Lion, it takes you right back to where you were. System-wide function.
- Versions - Versions is a new feature that charts the history of your documents, taking snapshots in time, and displaying them side by side with the latest versions in an easily browsable timeline. You can review the past iterations of your compositions, restore a previous version, or copy and paste from old versions to new ones.
- Auto Save – Lion saves every document automatically so that you never lose work.
- AirDrop – The replacement of the thumb drive. Go into AirDrop and you’ll see all the other users who are running AirDrop. To share a file, just drop a file onto the user in question. They then receive a notification and, hey presto, file exchanged. There’s nothing to discover, auto setup.
- New Mail – Looks like it has a new icon. Tons of new search features, and built in conversation lines.
Introducing iOS 5 – Available to developers today, everyone else “this Fall.”
- Notification Center – Brand new notifications interface. See picture below!
- Newsstand – A lot like iBooks, but used with subscription based magazines and newspapers.
- Twitter – Built in to iOS 5. You can tweet articles from Safari, videos from YouTube, locations from Maps.
- Safari – Safari Reader, looks like Instapaper. Faster. Has tabbed browsing. Reading List – Save stories from Safari to read for later. Syncs across multiple devices.
- Reminders – Built in list making app. Allows for storage of multiple lists, with dates to remind you. Can assign location. Reminds you when you cross a “geo-fence.”
- Camera – Now a camera button on the lock screen. You can click the button and go right in to the camera. You can now press volume up and down to take pictures. Photos can now be edited directly on the device. You can crop, rotate, reduce red-eye, and you can do a one click enhance.
- Mail - Rich-text formatting, indentation control, draggable addresses (from To: to Cc: or Bcc:), flagging so you can mark them as unread, and now you can search the entire contents of messages. Built in dictionary.
- PC Free – You can now buy and set up any iOS device out of the box. No need to connect cables to existing PCs. Software updates will now be over the air. You can now create and delete calendars from iOS.
- Game Center – Download games right from Game Center. Find friends of friends.
- iMessages – New messaging service between iOS regardless of device. Lets you send text messages, photos, videos, contacts, and even do group messaging. Can also get delivery receipts, read receipts, and real-time typing notification.
- Wifi Sync to iTunes! – You can set your iOS device to find your iTunes and sync. You can also sync your iTunes library over WiFi! You can now completely cut the cord!
- Documents in the Cloud – Create a project on Pages, Numbers or Keynote, it will upload to iCloud and then sync across devices.
- Photo Stream – Take a picture, uploads to iCloud, downloads to “Photo Stream” album across iDevices and iPhoto.
- iTunes in the Cloud – Download media from iTunes on one device, go to iTunes on other iOS devices and sync same media for no additional charge.
- Sync new devices via WiFi (or cable)
- Buy songs you’re missing on iTunes
- iTunes Match service – Finds the songs you’ve ripped from CDs and replaces them with iTunes high quality version. $24.99 p/year.
- New iPad music app
- Smart Playlist sync from iTunes
- Option to speak text selection
- iTunes Tone Store
- Built-in dictionary
- Emoji emoticons
- Personal dictionary
- Alternate routes in Maps
- Improved FaceTime video quality
iPhone 5 To Have Aluminum Casing? [Pics] March 7, 2011
Posted by johnthrasher in App Talk, Apple, iPhone, ThrasherTechnoTrash.Tags: Apple, iPhone 4, iPhone 5
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My blog is turning in to an Apple rumors site! But, they rumors are ramping up ahead of the expected summer iPhone announcement.
The latest rumore, from a somewhat reputable rumor mill Macotakara.jp, is that the iPhone will backtrack to version 1 and have an aluminum casing, and an entire antenna redesign. It will almost certainly have the new A5 chip that the iPad 2 will start shipping with this week.
I LOVE the artist renderings that Macotakara posted (above). I really hope Apple goes through with this!
Is This What iPad 2 Looks Like?? March 2, 2011
Posted by johnthrasher in App Talk, Apple, Geek Talk, iPhone, technology, ThrasherTechnoTrash.Tags: Apple, iPad 2
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Some more images were leaked this morning, just a few hours before the big iPad event, of what the next generation may look like. Though some sources are saying there won’t be a design change (only a spec bump), others are saying this overhaul will be design and spec changes.
Either way, it’s exciting for Apple nerds such as myself.
There are also rumors that MobileMe will go free today. Considering they took it completely out of their system, we have to expect some mention of it today, regardless of if that rumor is true or not.
Also in the rumor pipeline is that Apple will debut a social location app called “Places” today and maybe give a sneak peak at iOs 5. We’ll find out very soon!
Why You Should Wait To Buy iPad 2 February 3, 2011
Posted by johnthrasher in App Talk, Apple, Geek Talk, iPhone, Social Media, technology, ThrasherTechnoTrash.Tags: Apple, iPad, iPad 2
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For those who know me, you know I have a love/hate relationship with the iPad I spent the better half of 6 months whining about wanting. It’s a fantastic device on many levels, but also drives me insane on several more. I think it’s because I want it to do so many of the things that my iPhone or even my Mac can do…and it feels like it’s on the cusp of that, but never quite lives up to those standards.
But, if rumors come true by April, there’s a great chance the the next generation iPad (dubbed ‘iPad 2′) will live up to at least some of my expectations on what a tablet should be doing. Here are some thoughts on why if you’re in the market for the iPad, you should wait for the next release.
- First, the current iPad is not really a tablet in my opinion. A tablet is something more than a media consumption device. It’s a device that you can work from, rely on, and create content with. And though I do all of those things on my iPad, I often find myself saying, “This would be so much easier on my Mac. Or even my iPhone.” Such things as typing simple blogs or email, clocking in and out of my online system for work, and of course the Flash debacle, are made so much more difficult through the iPad UI. Though there aren’t any strong rumors about enhancements in these areas, you can bet that a faster processor and a more reactive user interface (some tweaks here and there could really make a difference) will come with iPad 2.
- Second, the no camera thing really anchors the current iPad to your home. There’s no need or function for the iPad to be on the go with you the way your phone might. I bought my iPad as a cheaper alternative to a new MacBook, and boy was I wrong. Though I can (and do) take my iPad everywhere, it really isn’t made for mobility. No camera, no GPS, and no stand out apps for mobility make the current generation a fun little toy to play with when you’re laying around your house and bored. I think the iPad could be SO MUCH more than that. If rumors are true (and it sounds like they are) the iPad 2 will not only have a back side camera, but a front facing camera as well! And it’s rumored to include PhotoBooth as well as the expected FaceTime app. This will open up a whole new world of connecting to the outside world with your iPad…something that the current generation
- Thirdly, you’re going to get more bang for your buck if you wait for iPad 2. Apple has a history of releasing new products at the same price point as their previous generations (except for the MacBook Airs!). This means you could buy current generation iPad today, and iPad 2 will hit the shelves tomorrow with a significant upgrade…at the same price. Assuming that the iPads stay at the entry level price point of $499, that’s something to take in to consideration when you make a big purchase.
- Fourthly, the current generation iPad display is good. But, it could be great. I had the iPhone 4 with a retina display for about 6 months before I got my iPad and my iPad screen looks so old and even cheap compared to my iPhone screen. In fact, when I first got my iPhone 4 I would just turn it on to look at how amazing the screen looked. Though I don’t think the iPad 2 will have 4 times the resolution the way the iPhone 4 evolved, I think an upgraded display is a safe bet.
- Surprises! Apple is really good at hiding little features in new products that end up standing out a great deal. So there’s a chance that iPad 2 will have some great new features that aren’t even mentioned that will make the current generation iPad seem lackluster and outdated. To me, that’s the brilliance of Apple and why so many people need to have the newest products.
In essence, with the demand of the iPad at an all time high, at this point it would make more financial and functional sense to wait it out for a few months and get the newest most advanced iPad that Apple can make.
iPad 2 and iPhone 5 to Lose Home Button? January 13, 2011
Posted by johnthrasher in App Talk, Apple, Geek Talk, iPhone, technology, ThrasherTechnoTrash.Tags: Apple, iPad 2, iPhone 5, Steve Jobs
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There is a very high liklihood that the next iPad and iPhone will ship without a home button!
Will these mockups of home button free iPads and iPhones be the next models from Apple?
Steve Jobs has mentioned in the past that he didn’t want any buttons on the iPhone when it was first announced back in 2007. Now, with the video below surfacing of iOS 4.3 for iPad featuring home screen and multitasking gesture support, it looks like the home buttonless iPads and iPhones may be a reality in 2011.
I personally don’t think I would like to use gestures only to navigate my way through these devices…in particular the iPhone where 5 fingers barely even fit. Do you think it would be awkward? Watch the video below to see how you may be using an iPad in the future…
iTunes Announcement Coming Tomorrow! November 15, 2010
Posted by johnthrasher in App Talk, Apple, Personally John, technology, ThrasherTechnoTrash.Tags: Apple, iTunes, John Thrasher, Steve Jobs
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This morning we all woke up to this announcement on Apple’s homepage. It seems awfully dramatic, even for Apple. Unless you’re giving me $1,000 in iTunes gift cards, I doubt that it’s a day I’ll never forget.
ANYWHO…
Being many people’s go-to Apple guy, everyone has been asking me what it means. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN!?
From what I gather it could be one of two things (or both).
1 – It’s long been rumored that Apple is working on cloud-based iTunes. What does that mean? It means your music would stream to your iPod/iPad/iPod touch/any other web device from the internet. Rather than downloading your music to your 16GB iPhone, why not download to your 60GB iTunes cloud online? Not only will this save you space to download native apps but it will make managing and syncing your music a lot easier.
My thoughts? – While this is a cool idea, the end user experience could suffer as a result of a couple of things: people not always being connected to the internet when they want to listen to music (traveling), people expecting their music to be on their devices and then thinking it was deleted when really it’s in the cloud storage, streaming music will cause huge data bills for those who don’t have unlimited data (all new iPhone 4 users) and so on and so forth. Maybe Apple will find a way around some of these issues
2 – Subscription based iTunes has long been rumored as well. Apple recently acquired a company from the U.K. who was successfully implementing this very service. With this feature, you would pay X amount of dollars per month to stream all of iTunes catalog. Though that seems nice, I don’t see the subscription being anything under $25. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow!
Or it could be something completely off the wall. Seeing as we’re officially in the holiday season, these expensive subscriptions sound more likely. I’ll be excited to see what it is!
“Be Like Steve” For Halloween This Year with iWear October 28, 2010
Posted by johnthrasher in Apple, Geek Talk.Tags: Apple, John Thrasher, Steve Jobs
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LOLLERSKATES! I almost didn’t believe the story I read saying that Apple is actually the company launching this campaign. But lo and behold, Apple has actually launched a Halloween costume so you can look like Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
I’m still trying to figure out if this is a joke. Update coming later.
Last Minute Predictions for Today’s “Back To The Mac” Event October 20, 2010
Posted by johnthrasher in App Talk, Apple, iPhone, technology, ThrasherTechnoTrash.Tags: Apple, John Thrasher, Mac, Steve Jobs
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I’m usually so anxious for the Apple events that it seems like they take forever to get here, but this one kind of snuck up on me like a lion. Get it?
Anyway I’ve read the blogs and watched the news even more so over the last week since this invitation was sent out. Here are some things I think you can expect from today’s “Back to the Mac” event, which starts at 10am Pacific time:
- New MacBook Airs – I doubt that we’ll see the discontinuation of the 13″ model, but a new 11″ model is heavily rumored. Apparently these new MacBook Airs won’t have hard drives (don’t freak out!), but they WILL have SD card like slots for flash memory. This probably doesn’t make sense to most people, but what it does is add extra battery life, cut down the cost of the computer itself and gives you the chance to customize your hard drive to your liking. I would expect the long-awaited black bezel and an even sleeker, thinner design.
- New MacBooks – I don’t think we’ll see a design update, but upgraded specs is almost inevitable with the introduction of new MacBook Airs.
- iLife ’11 – Earlier this morning discussion topics on Apple’s official website for Garageband ’11, iPhoto ’11, and iMovie ’11 were noticed by popular Apple blogs, and then immediately taken down. This pretty much confirms we’ll be seeing this all today. Notably missing from that discussion board? iDVD. Apparently there were 2 other placeholder titles for the discussion board: “Reserved 10 20″ and “MBA (Needs official name).” MBA, presumably means MacBook Air, but no one is certain why it “needs official name.” People are assuming the “Reserved 10 20″ is for the “iLife ’11″ topic.
- Mac OS X 10.7 Lion – This one is pretty much a given after seeing the invitation (above). We’re probably getting a sneak peak of Lion today (a la the invitation). Not much has been said about new features at this point. The only things rumored to be coming are iOS-like scrollbars (here’s a pic if you’re confused), likely FaceTime integration, and a new “Dropbox-killer” – a feature that would allow Mac users to easily share files across computers! I would be very happy about that last feature, that’s for sure.
- iPhone 4 Coming to Verizon – The rumors are stronger than ever, though I don’t see this happening today, especially if there are new products to talk about. An iPhone announcement like that would be surprising because of the product cycle (typically iPhone info is announced in May/June), and because it would definitely be all over the news outshadowing any other product announcement today.
I doubt that we are going to see anything beyond this. Steve is going to spend his time talking about the new MacBooks and a glimmer in to 10.7 and making developers drool. The Mac events are usually very focused and specific to Macs only.
Do you think we’ll see anything besides this?
