Apple No Longer Sells a Mac With a CD Drive

Apple has discontinued its non-Retina legacy MacBook Pro, the last Mac it sold with a built-in CD/DVD drive. The 13-inch notebook had not been updated since June 2012, but it remained available for purchase on Apple’s website for $1,099 until today.

Apple continues to sell a standalone SuperDrive for $79 that connects with a traditional USB cable. As with the 12-inch MacBook, a dongle would be needed to use the SuperDrive with new MacBook Pros that have switched to USB-C ports.

Tag: Apple retail
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Apple Still Offering 2015 13-inch MacBook Air, 11-inch MacBook Air Discontinued

Apple did not update the MacBook Air line as expected today, signaling that it will slowly phase out the MacBook Air machines in favor of the MacBook and MacBook Pro lineups.

While there is no new MacBook Air available for purchase, Apple is continuing to offer the 13-inch MacBook Air models that were last updated in 2015. The 11-inch MacBook Air has been officially discontinued and can no longer be purchased from Apple.

Pricing on the MacBook Air continues to start at $999 for the 1.6GHz/8GB/128GB model, which is likely why Apple has kept it in the lineup for now. At $999, the MacBook Air is $500 cheaper than the new entry-level MacBook Pro and $300 cheaper than the entry-level Retina MacBook.

At today’s event, Apple positioned the new entry-level MacBook Pro as a viable MacBook Air replacement, because the MacBook Pro is now nearly as thin and light as the MacBook Air.

Apple’s entry-level MacBook Pro features a 2.0GHz processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, Intel Iris Graphics 540, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. It does not include a Touch Bar or Touch ID support, which allows Apple to sell it for $1,499 instead of $1,799, the price of the entry-level MacBook Pro that has those two features.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer’s Guide: MacBook Air (Don’t Buy)
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Apple Continues to Sell Base Model 2015 MacBook Pros at Same Price Points

While new MacBook Pros with faster specs and a Touch Bar launched earlier today, Apple continues to sell base model 2015 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros on its website for the same entry-level prices of $1,299 and $1,999 respectively. Higher-end models with faster specs and more storage are no longer available for purchase.

2015 MacBook Pros should remain a popular option among customers who prefer having access to a broader range of ports, such as MagSafe, two USB-A ports, two Thunderbolt ports, HDMI, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an SD card reader.

The new MacBook Pros have four Thunderbolt 3 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack only. Thunderbolt 3 carries power, USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA video out over a single port. As with the 12-inch MacBook, customers will have to purchase standalone dongles to connect certain devices and accessories.

2015 MacBook Pros, of course, have traditional function keys rather than Apple’s new Touch Bar that provides contextual controls based on the app you are working in or system task you are carrying out.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tag: Apple retail
Buyer’s Guide: Retina MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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Apple Teams Up With LG for 4K and 5K Displays Designed for New MacBook Pro

During today’s event, Apple announced that it has teamed up with LG to create 4K and 5K UltraFine Displays specifically designed to work with the new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models that debuted this morning.

Priced at $1,299.95, the 27-inch 5K LG UltraFine Display features a 5120 x 2880 resolution and P3 wide color gamut. It uses multi-stream transport so it’s powered by a single Thunderbolt 3 cable, which can also charge the MacBook Pro at the same time with up to 85W of power delivery.

Three downstream USB-C ports are built into the back of the display to power additional devices and accessories, and it includes built-in stereo speakers, a camera, and a microphone. The 5K display is only compatible with the new MacBook Pro, as it requires a Thunderbolt 3 connection.

Apple and LG are also offering a 21.5-inch 4K monitor, with a resolution of 4096 x 2304 and P3 wide color gamut for $699.95. It’s able to connect to the MacBook Pro or MacBook using a single USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 cable, which can also provide 60W of power for charging.

It too includes three downstream USB-C ports to power additional devices and accessories, plus it includes built-in stereo speakers. Because it doesn’t require Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, the 4K LG display works with any Mac that has a USB-C port.

The LG UltraFine 4K Display is currently available for purchase from Apple’s website and will ship out in 5 to 6 weeks. The LG UltraFine 5K Display is currently listed as “Unavailable” on Apple’s website and cannot yet be purchased. Apple says it will launch in December.

It is not clear what this partnership means for the future of Apple-branded displays. Apple discontinued its Thunderbolt Display earlier this year, but there were rumors suggesting a 5K display with an integrated GPU is in the works. It is not clear if the LG monitors have replaced that rumored product, or if Apple is making them available until it can produce a new Apple-branded display.

Related Roundup: Thunderbolt Display
Buyer’s Guide: Displays (Don’t Buy)
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Apple Updates Final Cut Pro X With Revamped Interface, Magnetic Timeline and Touch Bar Support

Apple today released a major update for Final Cut Pro X, its video editing software aimed at professionals. Today’s update includes a new look for the software, support for the Touch Bar included in the new MacBook Pro, and a host of other features.

Final Cut Pro X features a revamped interface that’s designed to streamline the layout for optimal screen space on the MacBook Pro, plus it includes a darker, flat look for more focus on content. There are customizable workspaces that let users select ideal layout options for organizing, editing, and color grading, even across more than one monitor. Full support for wide color workflows is included.

“This is our biggest update to Final Cut Pro X since we completely redesigned it five years ago,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Apps Product Marketing. “The new version features a sleek interface and adds powerful new editing features that go far beyond what’s possible with traditional, track-based video editing apps; and integration with the revolutionary Touch Bar gives professional video editors a whole new way to interact with Final Cut Pro X.”

There’s a new Magnetic Timeline to make it easier to see a full film at a glance. Dialogue, music, and effects are all highlighted with custom color coding, and there’s now an option to drag and rearrange the vertical layout of a timeline or highlight audio roles during the editing process.

The Final Cut Pro X update also includes support for the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro, introducing dynamic controls that change based on which tool is in use. With the Tool Bar, users can do things like adjust audio levels, trim, navigate through a timeline, initiate playback, and more.

Motion 5.3 and Compressor 5.3 have also been updated with Touch Bar support and a new darker look to match the Final Cut Pro X update. Motion 5.3 includes support for wide color workflows and 3D text enhancements, plus it offers a new Align behavior for quickly connecting separate objects. Compressor 4.3 features wide color support and updates and improvements that make it quicker to deliver packages to the iTunes Store.

Final Cut Pro X can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $299.99. [Direct Link]

Motion can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $49.99. [Direct Link]

Compressor can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $49.99. [Direct Link]

Tags: Final Cut Pro X, Motion, Compressor
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Roundup: Hands-On With Touch Bar on New MacBook Pros

One of the headline features of Apple’s new MacBook Pros is the Touch Bar, a Multi-Touch-enabled strip of glass above the keyboard that provides instant access to tools and commands that change contextually based on the app you are using or system task you are carrying out. It also has Touch ID built in.

Siri and Touch ID (Image: AOL)
The all-new Touch Bar replaces the standard row of function keys on the new MacBook Pros, with system controls like an escape key, power, volume, and brightness still accessible at times. The middle part of the Touch Bar is the Control Strip, which changes automatically based on what you are doing.

Apple provided the media with an opportunity to demo the new Touch Bar following its “Hello Again” event earlier today, and a number of websites have now published early hands-on looks at the new feature. Read ahead for a roundup of Touch Bar first impressions alongside photos of it in action.

Image: Dieter Bohn/The Verge
Dieter Bohn at The Verge noted the Touch Bar has a matte finish, which gives the on-screen controls a little more of a physical feel:

What you might not have gathered from the keynote is that it has a matte finish, which makes the buttons on it somehow feel a little more physical. It’s bright, but not so bright that it distracts — it seems to be about on par with the brightness of the backlit keyboard.

Bohn added that the Touch Bar controls can be rearranged, while you can long-press on buttons to get to functions faster. Tapping and holding on Reply, for example, allows you to slide your finger over to Reply All. There is no haptic feedback when tapping controls, but Bohn said the Touch Bar worked accurately.

Brian Heater at TechCrunch said the Touch Bar is “glossy” but “not quite slick,” making it “frictionless enough so as to run a finger across with little effort.”

The new Touch Bar is essentially a secondary Retina display that Heater described as “quick and responsive” during his demo:

It’s quick and responsive, reacting to multi-touch and the amount of pressure the user applies. It also adapts quite quickly as you toggle between different apps. It’s a really cool and really versatile new addition – like having a small mobile display embedded directly into the Notebook.

While the Touch Bar is mostly grayscale, it has some color. When using apps such as Messages, for example, you can access a row of frequently used emojis.

Image: Brian Heater/TechCrunch
Michael Gorman at Engadget said Touch ID on the Touch Bar is “considerably faster than typing in a password” to unlock your Mac:

Plus at the right edge of that strip lies a Touch ID sensor, that allows folks to login to their Macs via their fingertips. In the limited time I spent with the new Pro, that sensor worked as it should — which is to say considerably faster than typing in a password.

Ina Fried at Recode said the Touch Bar “looks like the kind of thing that those who spend all day on a laptop will grow to really love.”

AppleInsider shared a brief hands-on video:

Apple’s new MacBook Pros with Touch Bars are available for pre-order today and will begin shipping in 2-3 weeks. Pricing starts at $1,799 for the 13-inch model, while the 15-inch model starts at $2,399. A new 13-inch MacBook Pro with traditional function keys is available for $1,499 and ships as early as today.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tag: Touch Bar
Buyer’s Guide: Retina MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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4 HDR TVs Under $700 For Chromecast Ultra

What is the best HDR TV to buy for your new Chromecast Ultra?

So you just picked up one of Google’s newest Chromecast Ultra and now you want a great HDR TV to take full advantage of it? There are a number of great options available that come in a variety of sizes and prices, and picking the right one can be a difficult task. Each brand offers a slightly different look, some have smaller bezels than others, and others may just appeal more to your personal style, so let’s take a look at some of the best options available right now.

Hisense 50H8C 50-inch

Hisense may not be a common household name in many places, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook its television sets. Over the past few years the company has made huge improvements to its sets, adding a number of key features that people look for when buying their next television. From its built-in smart features to HDR compatibility and more, you get a whole lot more than you would imagine when buying the Hisense 50H8C.

From PCMag’s review of the TV:

The Hisense 50H8C offers very good performance at a very low price for a 4K television. Even with its excellent color accuracy, though, it fails to stand out in the rapidly expanding budget 4K category. Hisense’s Linux-based, Android-like smart TV interface is a bit awkward compared with the more accessible systems used in Roku TVs, and the fact that only half of the HDMI ports are HDMI 2.0 (and those ports are the less conveniently placed ones) hinder this otherwise strong television.

It may not offer all the bells and whistles that some other sets do, or the best performance, but for the price it is hard to beat this one. You can pick up the 50-inch Hisense for just $450 at many retailers, making it quite a deal.

See at Amazon

Samsung UN40KU7000 40-inch

Samsung has been making great TV sets for years, and is a brand that many tend to gravitate towards when considering a new option for their living room. In the recent years, Samsung has really refined its design, bringing the bezels down to some of the slimmest available while adding some great smart features at the same time. Picture quality is usually not a concern when it comes to Samsung panels, and that holds true with this model as well.

From CNET’s review:

The set supports HDR (high dynamic range) content in HDR10 format only. It lacks the Dolby Vision HDR support found on Vizio’s and LG’s 2016 HDR TVs. It’s still too early to determine whether one HDR format is “better” than the other, and I definitely don’t consider lack of Dolby Vision a deal breaker on this TV — instead it’s just one more factor to consider.

The KU7000 series offers a great sharp picture, and the TV has super slim bezels. You’ll notice the whole TV is extremely thin, and the Smart Remote makes navigating the menus and apps on the television even easier. The KU7000 comes in 40-, 43-, 49-, 55- and 65 inch versions, so you can find the right size for your room, with prices starting at just under $550.

See at Amazon

LG Electronics 43UH6100 43-inch

LG is another one of the big names in the home theater space, and for good reason. Over the years LG has made some reliable television sets that have continued to push the envelope. From adding webOS to its sets, to pushing the limits on the panel, LG has kept itself relevant in the space. The company offers a variety of models at all different price tags, but the lower cost models aren’t any worse when it comes to quality.

From user reviews in the AVS Forum:

Initally I wanted to get the 43UH6100 see how I liked it, and decide to spend more on the UH6500 or move to something like the M43. But as far as I can tell I am really happy with the UH6100 and I am not sure its worth the hassle of a return to BB and then having to order the UH6500 (only available to me from online – Amazon is where I was going to go). I could get a bad panel and then have to deal with online returns and exchanges. Unless someone can say that the UH6500 is a must have improvement over the UH6100.

When compared to other models, it appears as though the UH6100 offers great performance at a more affordable price point. You’ll have solid HDR performance, a decent amount of available ports, and nice thin bezels to make it look great, even when powered off. Coming in at right around $600, this one is a bit more expensive than some of the other options, but if you prefer LG it is a great choice.

See at Amazon

VIZIO SmartCast M-Series 50-inch

VIZIO started off making lower-end televisions at more affordable prices. Over the years, the company has stepped up its quality and functionality, and now it is a bigger player in the market. With the new SmartCast M-Series you’ll notice stunning colors, plenty of ports to hook up your must-have devices, and even an Android-powered remote. That’s right, the included 6-inch tablet remote runs on Android Lollipop and allows you to log into your Google account to easily access all of your existing content that is tied to your account.

From B&H’s hands-on review:

A notable addition to the entire 2016 lineup of VIZIO’s M series displays is the ability to handle 4K HDR video. While UHD 4K resolution is pretty common these days, High Dynamic Range (HDR) is just beginning to spread its wings. HDR itself isn’t a new technology—camera enthusiasts have been familiar with its ability to deliver enhanced contrast and color reproduction for years. As it currently stands, there are two competing HDR standards, known as HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Thankfully, VIZIO realizes the last thing its consumers want to deal with is another format war.

Beyond HDR support, VIZIO has also added support for many smart TV functions, so you’ll be able to browse the web and more right from your TV. VIZIO is offering a few different sizes ranging from 50-inches all the way up to 80-inches, but its priced higher than most others. The 50-inch comes in at $700, but the price seems justified based on the quality you are getting here.

See at Vizio

Your favorite?

Do you have a preferred HDR TV that isn’t listed here? If so, be sure to drop a link with a description in the comments so that others can check it out as well!

If you don’t already have a Chromecast Ultra, now is a great time to pick one up. You can grab one from the Google Store, Best Buy and select other retailers as well.

See at Best Buy

Vine to shut down app ‘in the coming months’

Vine is nearing its final loop.

Twitter-owned video sharing app Vine has announced it will be shutting down “in the coming months.” The social network built entirely on sharing and viewing auto-looping 6-second videos has been around since 2013, coming in and out of popularity independently of Twitter.

The Vine app has over 50 million installs on Google Play, but of course that doesn’t always translate to a sustainable number of active users. Twitter never really integrated Vine into the core Twitter experience, and has even actively worked in parallel with more robust video features than Vine offered itself. Some creative users took full advantage of Vine to grow massive audiences, but the average Vine user wasn’t regularly engaging with the service.

End of the line for Vine.

At the same time, people have continued to flock toward more interesting picture and video sharing apps like Instagram and Snapchat, which have more interaction, far more users and more tools to share what’s happening in your life. When you look at the landscape for mobile video, it’s clear that Vine wasn’t long for this world.

Right now we don’t have an exact timeline for when the Vine apps will be shut down, but Vine does say that you’ll have ample time to download your Vines and continue to view videos on the Vine website.

Drop Dead is the golden standard for FPS games on Gear VR!

This is what the Gear VR was missing.

Good shooters in VR are hard to come by, for a couple of reasons. First, unless you have motion controllers, it’s usually not as immersive. Second, running around in the less capable phone-based VR is usually a good way to become ill. Most of the time you find stationary shooters in mobile VR, and while that’s fun for a while it’s usually pretty repetitive. The folks at Pixel Toys have just released their answer to these lacking experiences with a zombie shooter with more than enough immersion to keep you busy for a while. It’s called Drop Dead, and based on our early hands on you’re probably going to want to install it on your Gear VR right now.

Read more on VR Heads

Apple unveils all new MacBook Pro

It was under the scrutiny of several leaks leading up to the launch, but Apple has finally unveiled a new MacBook Pro, on the 25th anniversary of the company’s very first notebook. The new MacBook Pro will come in 13in and 15in variants in space grey and silver finishes and is lighter and thinner than ever before.

Apple has fitted a new Force Touch trackpad which is twice the size of the trackpad in the previous MacBook Pro and the keyboard has been switched out for a new one with a second generation butterfly mechanism that debuted in the MacBook.

As was previously rumoured, the function keys have been ditched and in their place is a new OLED touch panel, which Apple is calling Touch Bar. You can still do all the same functions as you could with the previous keys, such as changing brightness or volume, but it’s aware of what app you’re in and changes functions appropriately. For example in Safari, it will show up a website search bar and a back button, or in photos you can instantly adjust photos.

And for all the emoji fans out there, the Touch Bar supports them and lets you insert them into messages and emails.

Touch ID has made an appearance on the MacBook for the very first time, letting you log in to your laptop with your fingerprint. If more than one user is registered to the MacBook Pro, if they register their fingerprint you can instantly switch between profiles. You can also use it to make Apple Pay purchases through compatible websites, just like you would on the iPhone.

The screen of the new 15in MacBook Pro is 67 percent brighter than before and has a 67 percent higher contrast ratio.

Inside every 15in model is an Intel Core i7 processor with up to 4GB VRAM and graphics that are 2.3 times faster than the previous model. There’s a new, up to 50 percent faster SSD too which can be specced up to 2TB and can transfer data at up to 3.31Gbps.

The speakers have been given some attention too and now boast improved dynamic range over the old model.

The 13in gets different options, either an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and Intel Iris graphics, but it too gets the new faster SSD. Apple says the new model is 103 percent faster with gaming than before.

Both models get four Thunderbolt 3 ports, which you can use to connect almost any device or monitor via an array of other connections, you will of course need adapters and dongles. But the cool thing is you can charge the MacBook Pro up using any of the four ports.

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