Top Bananas | Tag Archives: Macintosh

Why Apple is Ignoring the Macintosh

Posted on February 24, 2019 by admin Posted in Business, Hardware Leave a comment

What it is: Apple has been ignoring the Macintosh for years. The reason may be they’re planning to switch processors.

For the past few years, Apple has let their Macintosh lineup lag behind the times. The iMac hasn’t been updated in almost two years, which makes no sense because PC makers such as Dell or Hewlett-Packard can release updated models every few months. Certainly Apple could update the Macintosh at least once a year. That could be extreme incompetence or something else entirely.

That something else will likely be the switch from Intel processors to Apple’s own ARM processors. Already Apple’s latest A-series processor is faster than Intel’s processors and Intel’s constant delays also interrupt Apple’s ability to upgrade the Macintosh, so even Intel expects Apple to transition the Macintosh to ARM processors by 2020.

So that might be the reason why Apple has been dragging their feet on updating the Macintosh. It’s not that they can’t do it; it’s just that they’re too busy working on the transition to ARM processors so they don’t want to work on new Macintosh models when they know a new ARM-based Macintosh is coming soon anyway.

What’s likely to happen is that the Macintosh will become a “pro” model, running Intel processors for developers while the consumer model Macintosh will run ARM-processors for longer battery life. It’s possible that this ARM-based Macintosh will be called something else entirely. That way people won’t get confused trying to run Macintosh programs (designed for Intel processors) on an ARM-based Macintosh.

So the long delay in updating the Macintosh is likely because Apple is planning to make them obsolete soon anyway. Apple is already developing a software framework to allow iOS apps to run on the Macintosh. Most likely an ARM-based computer will be a super portable laptop.

If the lack of updates bothers you, wait if you can. Apple will likely redefine a laptop with a device that runs iOS apps but acts more like a computer. Either that or Apple is really incompetent after all. Which seems most likely?

To read about Apple’s possible plan to switch to ARM-based processors, click here.

Apple’s Silly Naming Conventions

Posted on January 28, 2019 by admin Posted in Business, Marketing Leave a comment

What it is: Apple’s latest naming conventions for the iPhone curiously resembles their Macintosh II naming convention.

At one time, Apple sold a variety of different Macintosh computers with confusing, but similar names such as Macintosh IIcx, Macintosh IIci, and Macintosh IIfx. With similar-sounding names, it made it hard fo consumers to know what was the difference.

That’s why when Steve Jobs returned to Apple, he abolished this confusing naming convention and simplified it to just Power Macintosh and later to iMac. Notice Apple has returned to this confusing naming convention with the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. What does this mean to the average consumer? Absolutely nothing.

Instead of offering clearly defined and simple names, Apple has reverted back to the techno-chaos that other companies embrace with confusing numbers and designations that mean nothing like the Dell Inspiron 15 7000. What do these numbers mean? Nothing, yet technology companies love them despite not clarifying their products for consumers.

Apple needs to go back to simpler names like the iPhone 10 (or iPhone X) and maybe an iPhone X Plus to indicate a larger screen size. All this nonsense with XS and XR means nothing and serves to simply confuse rather than clarify.

If the confusing Macintosh II naming convention didn’t work back in the 90’s, why is Apple going back to similar confusing naming conventions for the iPhone today? The answer is no reason other than it looks impressive. The moment Apple focuses more on naming conventions to impress rather than clarify is the moment the company is starting to lose their original vision and start following other technology companies down the drain.

Steve Jobs admired Hewlett-Packard because that company once was an innovation leader. Not any more. If Apple’s not careful, they could follow in the footsteps of Hewlett-Packard, and then they’ll be just cruising along worried more about profits and losses instead of making great products that are easy to use.

Just ask Hewlett-Packard what happened to their innovative culture.

To learn more about how Steve Jobs simplified Apple’s product line, click here.

Project Marzipan

Posted on January 13, 2019 by admin Posted in Software, User Interface Leave a comment

What it is: Project Marzipan is Apple’s framework to allow iOS apps to run on the Macintosh.

Last year during their Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC), Apple introduced Project Marzipan, which is a framework designed to make it easy to convert iOS apps to run on the Macintosh. Apple used their own framework to port several of their iOS apps to the Macintosh such as the Stocks app.

With iOS and mobile computing becoming far more important than desktop/laptop computing, it only makes sense for developers to focus exclusively on iOS programming because then they’ll be able to write apps for iOS and port them to the Macintosh.

Otherwise you’ll haver to write apps for iOS and macOS. That’s not too much of a problem since iOS and macOS are so similar but it does require you to write slightly different code. With Project Marzipan, the goal is to let you write an iOS app and let Apple’s framework convert it to run on the Macintosh with little work on your part. That way you’ll have two apps capable of running on the Macintosh and iOS.

For ordinary users, this simply means the Macintosh will soon get more apps. This can make the Macintosh more attractive but it will likely give developers an incentive to focus exclusively on iOS and then use Project Marzipan to create Macintosh apps that may not be optimized completely for the Macintosh.

So developers will likely need to tweak their code to make their app better for the keyboard/mouse interface of the Macintosh from the touch screen interface of iOS.

The Macintosh will likely never take over the desktop/laptop market with Windows PCs so entrenched in the corporate world. Then again, it doesn’t really matter since the world is moving towards mobile computing anyway.

The Macintosh has been around since 1984 and it likely won’t get any more innovative. So look at Project Marzipan as a way to keep iOS developers happy by giving them a larger market for their existing apps. Project Marzipan is not likely to attract more people to the Macintosh just for the ability to run iOS apps. Project Marzipan is interesting and will likely appear during 2019’s WWDC, but it’s just a short-term solution to help transition the world towards mobile computing so they can leave the world of desktop/laptops behind.

To learn more about Project Marzipan, click here.

Boost Your Mac’s Performance with an External Graphics Processing Unit

Posted on November 21, 2018 by admin Posted in Hardware Leave a comment

What it is: External graphics processing cards can boost the performance of your Macintosh.

The biggest flaw with the Macintosh is that it typically offers weak integrated graphics with limited memory. For most people who browse the Internet or use word processing, integrated graphics is fine. For anyone who does heavy duty graphics work such as CAD or video rendering, integrated graphics are too weak. That’s why so many professionals must either pay for a professional version of the Macintosh that includes a more powerful graphics processor or they simply spend less and use a Windows PC instead.

For those who need graphics power but don’t want to spend more for a professional Macintosh and don’t want to use Windows, the other alternative is to buy an external graphics processor (eGPU). Essentially this is a graphics card shoved in a separate box that connects to your Macintosh using a Thunderbolt 3 cable. Although this sounds easy, it does have some restrictions.

First, you need a modern Macintosh that can run macOS 10.13 High Sierra or greater. Second, you need a Thunderbolt 3 port. If your Macintosh lacks this, you’ll need to spend $49 for Apple’s Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter. Third, you’ll need to spend at least $200 or more to buy an eGPU box and then another $200 for the graphics card itself. Fourth, you can only use a limited number of graphics cards, which prevents you from buying a less expensive graphics card.

Assume around $400 for a eGPU. With the right Thunderbolt cables and an additional box connected to your Macintosh, you’ll now have vastly improved graphics power. As long as you need this power, the cost of a eGPU will be worth it. If you don’t need graphics, then a eGPU will simply be a waste of money.

If you’re looking at a Macintosh and you need heavy duty graphics power, look at a professional Macintosh model that includes a separate graphics processor, not an integrated graphics processor. Extra graphics processing will cost you money one way or another, but if you need it, then the cost will be minimal if it helps you make more money in the long run.

To learn more about external graphics processors that work with a Macintosh, click here.

The MacBook Air is the Past

Posted on November 4, 2018 by admin Posted in Hardware, User Interface Leave a comment

What it is: Apple recently updated the MacBook Air and the iPad Pro.

In the past, there was a clear distinction between a laptop and a tablet. A laptop was something you used to create content and a tablet was something you used to view content. While you could view content on a laptop and create content on a tablet, laptops were superior for creating content and tablets were superior to viewing content.

After Apple revealed new MacBook Air and iPad Pro models, that line is blurring. The future is no longer the laptop. The iPad Pro offers Apple Pencil support, an optional external keyboard, and a handful of professional applications porting from the PC world to the iPad including Photoshop and AutoCAD.

In addition, the iPad Pro is lighter and less expensive than the MacBook Air. The MacBook Air is simply a stop-gap measure between laptops and tablets. For people who aren’t ready to make the leap to a tablet, a MacBook Air gives them a comfortable alternative. For people who can see the future and don’t mind the current limitations of the tablet, the iPad Pro is clearly the future.

If you’re a developer, focus on iOS. If you’re a consumer, ask yourself what might be better for you. One person might prefer the iPad Pro while another might prefer the MacBook Air. There is no right or wrong answer that universally applies to everyone. If the MacBook Air is better for your needs, then just watch the iPad Pro develop further until it does match your needs. The iPad Pro is getting faster and improving far faster than the MacBook Air or other laptop models from other companies. The laptop is a fairly stagnant device that has its roots in the desktop PC world. Just as desktop PCs are fading in relevance as people opt for laptops, so will laptop PCs fade from relevance as people opt for lighter, faster, less expensive tablets.

The iPad Pro may not meet your needs today, but it will eventually grow powerful enough to get your needs in the future. When that happens, there will be little need for laptops any more.

The iPad is the New Computer

Posted on November 1, 2018 by admin Posted in Hardware, User Interface Leave a comment

What it is: Benchmarks show that the latest iPad Pro is nearly as fast as the latest MacBook Pro.

The evidence is clear. The iPad is getting more powerful faster than laptops and desktops. The latest Geekbench benchmarks found that the latest iPad Pro runs nearly as fast as the latest MacBook Pro. Keep in mind that the MacBook Pro is a professional laptop and you realize that the iPad is getting close to the MacBook Pro’s performance.

Now toss in the fact that Photoshop, AutoCAD, and even gaming companies are porting their console and PC programs to the iPad and pretty soon there will be no difference in power between the iPad and a laptop. If there will be a difference, the iPad will soon be faster, more portable, and less expensive. Given these advantages, why would anyone want a laptop?

Right now people are choosing laptops because they’re currently more versatile and powerful than the iPad. Just looking at trends shows that the day will come when the iPad will be far superior to laptops. When that day comes within the next few years, there will be little reason to use a laptop.

Right now, people are wondering if Apple will try to get the Macintosh to run off their own A-series ARM-based processors by porting macOS to ARM processors from Intel processors. That’s a pointless discussion because why should Apple waste time developing a new Macintosh when the iPad is already becoming the new Macintosh of the future? Microsoft has already wasted time turning Windows into a table operating system, yet despite their efforts, few people buy a tablet that runs Windows. Most people buy a Windows PC to use as a laptop first with its tablet features being a nice feature but one that most people don’t care about. Microsoft is struggling to keep Windows relevant in the mobile computer age. This strategy is working now, but when the iPad starts offering vastly superior performance to a laptop, then the trend will simply shift to the iPad and leave laptops behind except for professional users who need and want the additional versatility of Windows, Linux, or macOS.

Today the iPad is close to matching a laptop. Tomorrow it will exceed it. Beyond tomorrow, it will replace it. The trend is clear and no amount of arguing will change this trend.