Apple just updated the MacBook Pro family with updated specs, pushing all 3 models onto the Intel Sandy Bridge processors.

Intel here, there everywhere.

There’s more of Intel in the new machines – namely ThunderBolt, which Apple claims to be 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0. This new way of connectivity is a partnership between Intel and Apple. For all the models, the use of integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics chip to manage your graphics demand.

For the 15″ and 17″ model, there is also the AMD Radeon HD graphic chips which will plough through all your graphic needs. Apple has also upgraded the built-in camera where it can now make 720p HD calls.

All models come with a 7 hours battery claim, shorten from the previous 10 hours. A case of more realistic result through rigorous testing by Apple, or maybe the new Intel chips just need more juice?

Options, options, options

The 13″ MacBook Pro has the following options:

• Intel dual core Core i5 2.3GHz or 2.7GHz
• 4 or 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
• 320-750GB Serial ATA @ 5400rpm or 128-512GB Solid State Drive

The 15″ MacBook Pro has the following options:

• Intel quad core Core i7 2.0GHz or 2.2GHz
• 4 or 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
• 500-750 Serial ATA @ 5400rpm or 500 Serial ATA @ 7200rpm or 128-512GB Solid State Drive
• Glossy Widescreen Display (1,440-by-900-pixel) or Hi-Res Glossy Widescreen Display or Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen Display (1,680-by-1,050-pixel)

The 17″ MacBook Pro has the following option:

• Intel quad core Core i7 2.2GHz or 2.3GHz
• 4 or 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
• 750 Serial ATA @ 5400rpm or 500 Serial ATA @ 7200rpm or 128-512GB Solid State Drive
• Hi-Res Glossy Widescreen Display or Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen Display (1,920-by-1,200-pixel)

Full specs available here

Prices

Prices start from S$1,648 for the 13″ 2.3 GHz up to S$3,398 for the 17″ 2.2GHz model and you can order your MacBook Pro from the Apple Online Store and you can get your’s within 7-10 business days.

A tad of bah in this upgrade

On first look, this round of upgrade for the MacBook Pro is just a refresh, nothing earth shattering. Maybe that’s why they didn’t hold an event to announce it.

For most of us, who wants to have the muscles to tackle your photography projects, and the occasional iMove short films, the 13″ 2.7GHz MBP sounds like the best value for money, starting at S$2,048. For less than the amount to get the entry 15″ MBP, you can have a pretty decent monitor to compensate for the lack of screen real estate.

To really know how bah this update is, we’ll have to see the benchmarking results of these new machines, real world test of the 7 hour battery claim and also the usefulness of ThunderBolt.

For now, we’ll save our energy and cash for the 2 March event. Will you be getting a new MacBook Pro?

The wait is over. Apple had just sent out media invites for an event on 2 March at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco at 10am (2am SG on 3 March).

The invite, as seen above, shows the iCal icon with the date of the event, with the top right edge, peeled to reveal an iPad. At the bottom it reads: Come see what 2011 will be the year of. This is in reference to the media that called 2011 to be the year of the tablets during CES.

There are many speculations and rumours of what the next iPad will have, but we will know in a week’s time.

We will be up definitely to cover this event…like we always do. More details soon.

The past day has seen a few posts from various major news outlet and blogs about when we will get to see the next iPad and iPhone. First there was Bloomberg saying new iPad will be delayed followed by Business Insider saying iPhone 5 will be delayed.

Then you get articles from the likes of TechCrunch and The Loop refuting those rumors with a definite “no – those rumors are not true”, with not much backing.

Now you get New York Times and All Things Digital saying Apple will have an event on 2 March to reveal the new iPad.

Watching all these various news site and blogs go about trying to find the newest and latest scoop is like having an endless supply of sweet pop corns on your lap at the cinema – they are there just to increase my enjoyment as I wait for the real deal.

I’m going to Cornery to get a pack to prepare for that elusive media invite for the next big thing. Sour Cream & Onion or Tom Yum popcorn anyone?

(photo by Mark Dodds/Flickr)

Ever find yourself in the middle of somewhere with a sudden urge to go watch a movie? In days gone by, for that to happen, you will need either newspaper and a phone (really many days gone by) or a computer to find out where and when the movie is screening and then book online.

With the iPhone, we can skip the newspaper and the computer to find the movie details, and if lucky, you can try booking via the Mobile Safari.

With Showtimezz (yes it is with TWO “z”) from d–buzz, you can have your cake and eat it. It is a simple app with simple objectives – get you the movie screening time and place and lets you book it, all within the app.

Function wise, Showtimezz is as simple as it comes. Upon starting the app, you will get to see the available movies for today. Click on the movie poster art opens up Youtube with the movie trailer for you to select and view. Click on Showtime Information and it will load up all available cinemas that are showing that movie on that day. It gives you the address and also the options of the screening time. Click on the screening time and it will open up to the ticket booking page of that selected time for you to select your seats and book the tickets. So within two clicks, you can get to book your tickets. Easy.

Need to buy tickets for movies 2 days in advance, no problem. Just click on the date button on the top, you will get the options to select dates. Note most cinema operators will allow you to book 2 days in advance, except Eng Wah.

The app works as it advertised. But the app needs some refinement to make it a better app. At least for me.

First it needs a favorite-list. I am quite picky on where I watch my movies – specifically cinemas with comfy seats. So if they can implement a way to set my favorite list of cinemas, I’d give it a 4 stars.

Lastly, give me some more details about the movie. I’d prefer to read about the movie synopsis rather than watch the trailer. With sites like IMDB or themoviedb.org – they can get those details and have them available on the app.

Other than those, I think this is one app I’d have on my iPhone anytime. Oh did I mentioned that Showtimezz is free?

Lest we forget, Apple is not just an iPhone company. There are still Macintosh machines which we love and want being designed and product there. Especially this coming weeks (or even days) when the long awaited refresh for the MacBook Pro family will arrive. MacBook Pro was last updated in April 2010 with the introduction of the Intel Core i5 and i7 processors into the 15 and 17-inch machines.

With Intel moving past their problems with their new Sandy Bridge processors, March seems like the earliest which the MacBook Pros will get its refresh. Rumored to be included in this is also a new way of connection between peripherals and components to the computer called Light Peak which was demonstrated by Intel back in 2009. Light Peak has shown to be faster than USB 3.0 and can deliver up to 10 gigabits in both direction.

Other signs that the MacBook Pro refresh is imminent is that Apple is delaying delivery of US purchases by 3 to 5 days, as compared to the usual 24 hours. Further to that, in Europe, some resellers are notified of sealed delivery coming in the next few days from Apple with strict instructions not to brake the seal before the stipulated date. Those who do so will have their reseller licenses revoked.

What it means for us here in Singapore?
If you are out looking for a MacBook or MacBook Pro – hold your horses. As most retailers here do not have a return-policy, if you have bought something now, chances are you can’t get the exchanged with the new machines, even if the price is the same.

But if you are a budget, then with the upcoming refresh, the current crop of Core i5/i7 models will be available at a lower price at the Apple Online Store refurbished section – they are actually some which are available now.

Another day, more rumors. Seems like there are a lot of people who are familiar with the matter who are hearing alot from Apple. Good for us I guess.

First Bloomberg and then The Wall Street Journal both reporting that Apple is working on a cheaper and smaller iPhone that might or might not be released in summer, together with the next iPhone.

This comes after news that Nokia loving it up with Microsoft’s Windows 7 OS on their future devices, HP’s upcoming devices with WebOS and of course, the many Android devices that are available in the market. Having a smaller and cheaper iPhone will enable Apple to tap into developing market that might not have been accessible with the current or upcoming iPhone 5.

Another piece of rumor that comes out is the updating of MobileMe to provide more services than the ones currently provided, at US$99.

Apple is considering making MobileMe a free service that would serve as a “locker” for personal memorabilia such as photos, music and videos, eliminating the need for devices to carry a lot of memory

This will be useful together with a miniature iPhone as it sacrifice size and price with smaller capacity. Imagine every piece of music that you purchase, will automatically be available online via MobileMe. Many people have speculated on when Apple will bring more cloud to their MobileMe services, especially with a huge data center that has been operating in North Carolina, 2011 might just be the time to see that happening.

We will update and see if there are people who are familiar with the matter will start leaking images, especially those badly-lit and out-of-focused photos.