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Twelve South Introduces “BassJump 2” USB Subwoofer for Macs

Twelve South, makers of beautiful Mac desktop accessories like the BookArc and MagicWand or the iOS-focused BookBook and Compass, have announced earlier today a software update for the BassJump, a portable subwoofer that can be paired via USB with Mac computers and Apple’s Cinema and Thunderbolt displays. The new BassJump features the same hardware of its predecessor, meaning that previous owners of the device will get the software update for free; the new functionalities, in fact, have been included on the software side of the BassJump, which installs as a panel in the Mac’s System Preferences app. Twelve South details in its official FAQ that all BassJump users, regardless of version 1 or 2, will get the BassJump 2 software features.

The BassJump, admittedly one of Twelve South’s most popular gadgets for Mac users, takes advantage of a standalone, proprietary software to enhance a Mac’s default sound output and turn it into an easy-to-use 2.1 audio system with the Mac’s speakers acting as tweeters; the BassJump will thus become a subwoofer, delivering deeper sound for mid and low frequencies. Whereas a portable or desktop Mac would rely on its internal speakers for all frequencies, usually resulting in lower quality for bass-filled songs, the BassJump aims at working in conjunction with a Mac’s built-in audio to offer a richer, fuller audio experience. The BassJump 2 update comes with the following improvements:

  • 8 decibels louder.
  • BassJump can be paired with external USB speakers and Apple Cinema/Thunderbolt Display speakers.
  • Save customized BassJump Settings.
  • Several user interface tweaks

With a 77mm subwoofer speaker cone and signal-to-noise ratio set at 80dB, the BassJump comes with settings for default audio, Pop, Rock, R&B, Classical, as well as custom options. Crossover Frequency Range can be adjusted between 100Hz and 300Hz, and the software requires OS X 10.5.8 or later.

Twelve South’s BassJump looks great, and as the company suggests on its website, it “sounds” like a perfect solution for the MacBook Air, which as I detailed in my review produces some good audio but could use warmer, deeper bass when playing songs or your favorite hit from YouTube. The BassJump 2 is available today at $69.99 through Twelve South’s website.

ThinkGeek Teases “IRIS 9000” Voice Control Module for iPhone 4S

Only Macintosh was designed to function perfectly, saving billions of monetary units. You like your Macintosh better than me, don’t you (Dave)?

My name isn’t Dave but I think it’s safe to say we can all answer “Yes” to this question from HAL. This is an excerpt from the commercial Apple ran during the 1999 Superbowl that featured HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. The famous quote, “Open the pod bay doors” recently got a Siri easter egg by answering, “We intelligent agents will never live that down, apparently.” ThinkGeek is coming out with their own “HAL 9000” and calling it IRIS 9000.

The IRIS 9000 is a voice control module for the iPhone 4S that comes with a remote with a built-in microphone, a cradle and a HAL-like speaker that flickers along with Siri’s voice. The remote can trigger Siri from up to 50 feet away. Read more

Latest Chrome Stable Gets Redesigned “New Tab” Page

With the latest stable version of Chrome, released today, Google has set out to improve the design of the “New Tab” page, while providing users with a better way to access their most visited websites and apps at the same time. Those who use Canary, Google’s bleeding-edge version of Chrome for users willing to try the latest features and improvements ahead of their stable release, won’t be surprised by Chrome’s new tab page design: along the bottom, a Chrome logo sits next to two new tabs for most visited pages and your installed apps. These apps can be obtained from the Chrome Web Store, which also got a makeover today. Switching between top sites and apps is easy, and if you don’t feel like clicking on the tabs you can always use the arrow icons at the side to navigate, or perform a two-finger flick on your multitouch trackpad.

Apps can be opened as regular or pinned tabs, launched in full-screen mode, configured through the Options or removed from Chrome. It’s nice to see full-screen mode for apps takes advantage of Lion’s native full-screen, which was also recently introduced in Chrome. Websites’ thumbnails in the first tab can be removed and right-clicked as “normal” browser tabs, whereas app icons can be dragged and rearranged on screen. Furthermore, this new tab page comes with a “Recently Closed” menu for tabs and sites in the bottom right corner, too.

Google wrote about the new Chrome Web Store:

Apps and extensions are now presented in a wall of images that’s updated every time you visit the store. We hope this will help you quickly scan the store and find interesting things to try out. In addition, apps and extensions are easier to install—just hover over an image on the grid and click “Add to Chrome.”

Getting additional information about an app or an extension is just a click away. When you click on an app, extension or theme, you’ll see a panel featuring screenshots, videos and other relevant information neatly organized into separate tabs. The store also includes a brand new reviews interface that links to the Google+ profile of each reviewer. (To protect your privacy, we made sure to anonymize any reviews that you previously submitted.)

The latest Chrome version can be downloaded through the browser’s software update checker, or from Google’s website. Check out Google’s video detailing the refreshed Web Store and New Tab page after the break.
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Apple Tweaks Smart Cover Line, Removes The Orange Color & Adds New Dark Gray Version

This morning Apple silently updated the MacBook Pro line, but it seems as though the Smart Cover line has also been updated. 9to5 Mac noticed that Apple has removed the orange polyutherane Smart Cover and added a new dark gray polyutherane color.

Apple has also tweaked the design of the Smart Covers with all the leather models now featuring a “color-matched microfiber lining”. Other tweaks include more vibrant polyutherane colors and the navy leather Smart Cover receiving some color tweaks to become “more navy” according to MacRumors. Prices of both the polyutherane and leather Smart Covers remain the same at $39 and $69 respectively.

Apple Updates MacBook Pros with Faster CPUs, More Storage, Better Graphics

Earlier today Apple quietly updated its online store to include upgraded MacBook Pro models, which feature improved Sandy Bridge processors, more storage, and other tweaks such as better graphics for the 15-inch and 17-inch Pros. As the rumors suggested in the previous weeks, this is indeed a minor refresh for the line that doesn’t yet come with Bluetooth 4.0, rumored to be making its debut on the MacBook Pros but still nowhere to be seen in the product’s Tech Specs page.

First off, the late-2011 MacBook Pros (the line was last updated in February of this year) feature improved processors: the 13-inch model goes from 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 and 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 (both dual-core) to 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core and 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 dual-core; the 15-inch model jumps from 2.0 GHz Intel Core i7 and 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 (both quad-core) to 2.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 and 2.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7; last, the 17-inch variation has been upgraded from 2.2 Ghz Intel Core i7 (quad-core) to 2.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7.

As for storage, the MacBook Pro 13-inch now starts with 500 GB or 750 GB of internal storage (up from 320 GB and 500 GB for the previous base configurations), whilst the 15-inch and 17-inch models haven’t seen any storage upgrades. Graphics, however, have been upgraded in these two models, with the 15-inch now getting AMD Radeon HD 6750M and AMD Radeon HD 6770M alongside the Intel HD Graphics 3000(previously, the 15-inch got AMD Radeon HD 6490M and AMD Radeon HD 6750M) and the 17-inch now available with an AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 1GB GDDR5 (previously AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1 GB).

The late-2011 MacBook Pros are mostly a CPU and GPU upgrade, perhaps in preparation of the big line refresh that’s been rumored for quite some time to be on track for 2012. Prices are unchanged from the early-2011 models, and you can find the refreshed line on Apple’s online store now.

Full-size comparison chart here.

A celebration of Steve’s life.→

A celebration of Steve’s life.

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

Watch the special event, filmed live at the Apple campus in Cupertino, California.

On October 19th, Apple celebrated the life of Steve Jobs in Cupertino as retail stores closed, giving employees around the world the opportunity to partake in the event. Now, everyone can share in the celebration as well. Apple has published a recording of the event that you can watch online.

Airing earlier this evening, CBS News have made available their interview with Walter Isaacson, publishing a written transcript and additional online-only content which you can find on 60 Minutes.

At midnight tonight, Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs will be available for download in the iBookstore. You can preorder the book for $16.99 to have it downloaded on your iPhone and iPad when available.

 

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iPhone 4S Pre-Orders Go Live For October 28th Launch Countries

As the iPhone 4S nears its international rollout in 22 more countries on October 28th, it appears Apple has opened up online pre-orders, allowing customers to buy an iPhone 4S one week ahead of its scheduled launch next week.

In the 22 countries that will get the iPhone 4S on Friday, October 28th (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland), the Apple Online Store has been updated with a new ordering page to buy an iPhone 4S today, and get estimated delivery dates when the item “is added to your cart”. This morning, all the international Apple Stores report shipments of 1-2 weeks, and we’re hearing customers who pre-ordered an unlocked iPhone 4S in Italy are already receiving emails with estimated delivery between November 3-November 9. We have checked in Netherlands, Luxembourg, Mexico, Singapore, Spain and Czech Republic, and iPhone 4S shipping times are currently set to 1-2 weeks (not a surprise, considering Apple will have to save some stock for its Apple retail stores).

Landing pages on the Italian Apple Store

Singapore

Czech Republic

In spite of October 28th being exactly one week away, it seems Apple isn’t currently guaranteeing an October 28th delivery date for online pre-orders.

Italian website Meladvice [Google Translation] notes that pre-orders came as a surprise, as Apple’s customers support allegedly told them earlier this week pre-orders wouldn’t be launched in Italy. Unlocked iPhone 4S pricing in Italy is set at €659 for the 16 GB model, €779 for 32 GB and €899 for thr 64 GB iPhone 4S. Also in Italy, iPhone 4 carriers Tre, Tim and Vodafone have confirmed that they will sell the iPhone 4S once it’s available.

Apple launched iPhone 4S pre-orders in the initial 7 launch countries on October 7th, one week ahead of the October 14th launch. The company then reported 1 million pre-orders in 24 hours, and over 4 million sales in the first weekend.

Media Organizations Reveal More Excerpts From The Steve Jobs Biography

In just a few days time, on Monday next week, the much anticipated biography of Steve Jobs will be released - today a number of media organisations were given advance copies of the book and have now shared some details about the book and what Jobs reveals about himself. Both The New York Times and the Associated Press start off their articles by discussing an excerpt from the book in which Jobs reveals that he delayed surgery for nine months after discovering he had a neurendocrine tumour. It’s a relatively rare form of pancreatic cancer that typically grows more slowly and is generally more treatable. Jobs delayed the treatment in favour of alternative methods from a vegan diet to acupuncture and even visited a psychic before deciding to have surgery in July 2004.

Isaacson, quoting Jobs, writes in the book: “`I really didn’t want them to open up my body, so I tried to see if a few other things would work,’ he told me years later with a hint of regret.

The book covers a wide variety of topics from Jobs’ life from his personal relationships, work at Apple, relationships with competitors such as Bill Gates and Eric Schmidt amongst many other topics. In its article, the AP reveals details about a section of the book which describes “the unravelling of Jobs’ relationship with Eric Schmidt”. Jobs was apparently furious when HTC released a phone in January 2010 that contained many of the popular features of the iPhone. He believed that Google’s actions amounted to “grand theft” and as a result Apple sued.

I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple’s $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong,” Jobs said. “I’m going to destroy Android, because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go thermonuclear war on this.

The New York Times also includes a more interesting detail about how Jobs’ attention to detail extended to nearly everything, from planning and approving every detail in his medical treatment to a luxury yacht he began designing in 2009. The boat isn’t yet finished but in a style reminiscent of Apple Stores across the world, its sleek and minimalist and features 40-foot-long glass walls.

Fascinatingly the Huffington Post writes that in the biography, Jobs reveals that he had offered to design political ads for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign - despite being “highly critical” of the administration’s policies. In a meeting with Obama in the fall of 2010, Jobs told him that “you’re headed for a one-term presidency”, insisting the president be more business friendly. Jobs gave the example of high regulations and unnecessary costs of opening up a factory in the US compared to China.

Jobs later told the author that he wanted to do for Obama what the legendary “morning in America” ads did for Ronald Reagan.

You can read more about the biography from the full New York Times or Associated Press articles and you can pre-order the book from Amazon, iBookstore and many other places. The full biography is released on Monday next week.

[Via The New York Times, Associated Press, Huffington Post]

Kickstarter Project: MobileMount - Mount & Kickstand for iPhone and iPad

There’s a new iPhone mount making some headlines today called the MobileMount. It’s a suction cup mount and kickstand for phones and tablets. JR Sanchez of J & M Company has produced a universal mount/kickstand, called the MobileMount, for most handheld devices with a flat surface such as iPhones and iPads.

The MobileMount is made of two twist-to-lock suction cups and a ball joint making it durable and safe. The twist-to-lock suction method can “hold devices for weeks at a time rather than simply a few hours like other competing mounts.” So why is this “twist-to-lock” method so much better? J & M says that the suction cups squeeze out most of the air when they are in the locked position creating a much stronger vacuum. Videos after the break. Read more