New Apple iMac brings Thunderbolt, next-gen quad-core processors

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop,

Today, Apple announced updated iMac desktops with second-generation Intel Core processors and Thunderbolt interconnect technology. The new iMacs are available in the familiar 21.5-inch and larger 27-inch form factors, starting at $1,199 for the 21.5-inch model with an Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics, and a 500GB hard drive.

Thunderbolt is Apple's implementation of Intel's Lightpath interconnect technology, first seen on Apple's MacBook Pro laptops. As before, Thunderbolt on the iMac is compatible with USB, FireWire, and Gigabit Ethernet via adapters. Thunderbolt supports mini DisplayPort monitors without an adapter, and can support (via adapters) VGA, DVI, HDMI, and full-sized DisplayPort with an adapter. Thunderbolt has a theoretical 10Gbps throughput, so it can accommodate all of these interconnects simultaneously using only one port. The iMac 21.5-inch models come with one Thunderbolt port, while the 27-inch features two Thunderbolt ports.

On the software side, all new iMacs come with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, along with Apple's iLife '11 software (iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes, GarageBand, etc.). New for the iMac line is the inclusion of FaceTime HD, which allows video chat with FaceTime equipped iPhone 4, iPod Touch, and iPad 2 devices.

All iMacs are EPEAT Gold certified and meet Energy Star 5.2 requirements. The iMac's LED backlit display is mercury free and Apple uses PVC free cables and components. The new iMacs use Apple's familiar aluminum and glass chassis, and come with a SD card slot, wireless keyboard, and a choice of Apple's Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.

The new iMacs are available now through Apple Stores, store.apple.com, and authorized Apple Retailers. The base 21.5-inch iMac starts at $1,199 and $1,499, the base 27-inch iMac starts at $1,699 and $1,999. Configure to order options include high end Intel Core i7 processors, 2TB hard drives, 256GB SSD, additional system memory, and AppleCare.

If you're not looking for the latest and greatest, new iMacs also mean that there will be a ton of cheap iMacs hitting eBay.

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U.S. officials seize bin Laden hard drives and data, hit “mother lode”

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Storage,

"Can you imagine what's on Osama bin Laden's hard drive?"

That's the question a U.S. official posed to Politico recently in an article that revealed the government is now in possession of the deceased terrorist leader's computers.

The Navy SEALs who infiltrated bin Laden's compound Sunday, killing him and several others, also confiscated computer drives and disks that the U.S. official said was "the mother lode of intelligence." The contents of those machines are currently being torn apart at a secret location in Afghanistan.

"It's going to be great even if only 10 percent of it is actionable," the official told Politico.

Click to continue reading U.S. officials seize bin Laden hard drives and data, hit “mother lode”

Deal of the Day: Huge Mac discounts from Best Buy

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Hot Deals, PC / Laptop,

Best Buy is holding a huge Mac sale today, offering discounts up to $260 off of MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac Pro - and that includes free shipping:

Best Buy Mac sale

Don’t forget, if you’re looking for other deals, be sure to check out our Newegg Promo Code thread. Oh, and if you're on Twitter, be sure to follow @TechPromos for the latest deals.

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Was it Osama bin Laden’s aversion to tech that got him killed?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Editorial, Features, Misc. Tech,

Osama bin Laden has likely stayed off the grid for the past decade in order to evade capture, but was it his aversion to tech that actually did him in?

During a late-night press briefing on bin Laden's death, the White House said that the Abbottabad, Pakistan's compound's lack of an Internet connection was one of the things that tipped off investigators.

"It's also noteworthy that the property is valued at approximately $1 million but has no telephone or Internet service connected to it. The brothers had no explainable source of wealth," a senior administration offical told reporters.

The brothers in question are a trusted bin Laden courier and his sibling. The White House said intelligence officials became aware of this courier four years ago thanks to information provided by detainees, but only uncovered his location in August 2010.

White House officials said they were "shocked" by the compound.

Click to continue reading Was it Osama bin Laden’s aversion to tech that got him killed?

Apple and Time Inc. sign deal that gives Time subscribers free iPad access

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds,

Time Inc. has signed a deal with Apple that will allow print subscribers to access iPad versions of its magazines for free.

Starting Monday, subscribers to Fortune, Sports Illustrated, and Time can read these magazines on their iPad by entering an authentication code identifying themselves as print subscribers, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Magazines have struggled to take off on the iPad. Earlier this year, Apple unveiled a subscription platform for the App Store that awarded 70 percent of revenue to publishers and 30 percent to Apple. However, many publishers found the financial terms to be unfair, and said they wanted full control of subscribers' personal information.

Click to continue reading Apple and Time Inc. sign deal that gives Time subscribers free iPad access

9/11 through bin Laden’s death: How tech has changed over the years

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Editorial, Features, Internet, Misc. Tech,

Osama Bin Laden's death is a clear victory in the war on terror for the U.S., but as someone who was working in New York City on September 11, 2001, this event also highlights just how much has changed in the world of technology, communication and news dissemination in the last 10 years.

Nearly a decade ago, I marveled at how technology allowed us to not only learn about the attack on the World Trade Center, but experience it as it unfolded. Back then,  I relied heavily on AOL's Instant Messenger to communicate with my team in the office and those scattered around the country. As a result, AIM was a constant presence on my desktop and it's through that platform that I learned of the first jet hitting one of the towers. With that distressing information in hand, our staff gathered in a conference room to watch TV news on a larger projection TV. As a result, we all witnessed the second plane hit the other tower and knew we were under attack.

I used AIM throughout the day to stay in touch with family, friends, and co-workers. Most of my news updates, however, were delivered via TV and radio. There was no Google News, no Facebook, no Twitter, or YouTube for anyone to post eyewitness accounts.

Last night, much of the world learned of Osama bin Laden's death hours before President Barack Obama announced it in a televised news conference at roughly 11:35pm Eastern. Back in 2001, those sharing news about the airplane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers were simply repeating what they had seen on local television networks. Real news was rarely traded on the point-to-point instant messaging service. In fact, there was no concept of a viral network or participants simply sharing what they were experiencing to a wider group without thought of import or impact.

Click to continue reading 9/11 through bin Laden’s death: How tech has changed over the years

RIM announces BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930, BlackBerry 7 OS

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds,

iPhone Retina Display meet BlackBerry "liquid graphics." RIM today announced two powerful new BlackBerry phones with high-res touch screens, fast 1.2-GHz processors, and a new OS that offers better graphics than BlackBerrys had before.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 are the HSPA and CDMA/HSPA+ versions of the same thing: a stretched-out BlackBerry Bold with a 2.8-inch, 640-by-480 touch screen. That isn't high resolution compared to other top-of-the-line smartphones, but it's a very rich, dense screen for its small size.

The two phones run 1.2-GHz Qualcomm processors and have 8GB of storage, 5-megapixel cameras with 720p HD video recording, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The phones also have built-in NFC, the much-touted technology that could enable phones to be used as mobile wallets, if banks ever decide to support it. NFC may have applications in businesses, though, for things like proximity-based ID cards.

Click to continue reading RIM announces BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930, BlackBerry 7 OS

Osama bin Laden’s compound added to Google Maps (Updated)

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Google, Internet,

Update: We've updated the image.

Hot on the heels of the announcement that Osama bin Laden had been killed by US forces, Google has updated Google Maps to show the location of bin Laden's compound. Above, you can see how it looks with satellite view turned on. Just search for "Osama bin Laden Compound" in Google Maps to get a look yourself.

[Thanks, Jason!]

Weekend Reading: Blackbeard, Superman, Toth & Guindon

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Reviews, Television, DC Comics, IDW Publishing, Marvel Comics,

I was saddened to hear about the recent death of comics historian Bill Blackbeard. Tom Spurgeon had recently written about him and how he deserved a spot in the Eisner’s Hall of Fame this year. That prompted me to (1) agree immediately with Tom and then (2) write about my own dealings with Mr. Blackbeard.

I didn’t know that by then he had already passed. Tom has the best obituary, if such things can be defined by that term.

Fantagraphics’ Gary Groth shares some personal memories plus tributes from others.

Sparkplug has an interview with him from a while ago that’s first rate.

What a heartbreaker. The guy literally and single-handedly saved newspaper comics from the shredder of history.

Let’s see what else is out there:

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Blackbeard, Superman, Toth & Guindon

Deal of the Day: 61% off Samsung P2370HD-1 1080p LCD HDTV

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Hot Deals,

If you're in need of a spare HDTV set, peep this deal from eBay on the Samsung P2370HD-1 set. It's a 23-inch 1080p LCD HDTV, and it's being sold at a 61% discount. They typically sell for $482, but through this deal, you get the television for $189, saving you $293 - and that includes shipping. They've got limited stock, and again, this only lasts for a few hours. If you're interested, head on over:

Save $293 on Samsung P2370HD-1 HDTV

Don’t forget, if you’re looking for other deals, be sure to check out our Newegg Promo Code thread. Oh, and if you're on Twitter, be sure to follow @TechPromos for the latest deals.

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