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Google Chrome Causing Freezing and Crashing on New Mac Notebooks

Thursday June 28, 2012 10:25 pm PDT by Eric Slivka

Over the past several days, Gizmodo has been highlighting freezing and crashing issues on several of its staff's new MacBook Air models, linking the problems to Google Chrome. Switching to Apple's Safari browser eliminated all of the issues, and thus the site recommended that owners of the new machines avoid Chrome for the time being.


Google has now issued a statement to Gizmodo acknowledging that Chrome is the culprit and discussing the steps it is taking to address the issue. While Google has disabled some of Chrome's GPU acceleration on an emergency basis as it seeks to deploy a permanent solution, the company has also filed a bug report with Apple as such issues should not be able to cause an entire system to freeze or crash.

"We have identified a leak of graphics resources in the Chrome browser related to the drawing of plugins on Mac OS X. Work is proceeding to find and fix the root cause of the leak.

The resource leak is causing a kernel panic on Mac hardware containing the Intel HD 4000 graphics chip (e.g. the new Macbook Airs). Radar bug number 11762608 has been filed with Apple regarding the kernel panics, since it should not be possible for an application to trigger such behavior.

While the root cause of the leak is being fixed, we are temporarily disabling some of Chrome's GPU acceleration features on the affected hardware via an auto-updated release that went out this afternoon (Thursday June 28). We anticipate further fixes in the coming days which will re-enable many or all of these features on this hardware."

With the issue affecting all systems using Intel HD 4000 graphics, all of Apple's notebook models released earlier this month are susceptible and owners of the new MacBook Pro models are indeed also reporting the issue.

First launched in September 2008, Chrome has steadily gained in overall popularity among desktop Internet browsers and is currently running neck-and-neck with Firefox for the second position behind Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

Benchmarks for Mid-2012 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air

Tuesday June 12, 2012 1:47 pm PDT by Eric Slivka

With the first Mid-2012 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models reaching the public, Primate Labs has collated some data from its Geekbench 2 benchmarking database to assess the raw performance of these systems compared to their predecessors.

For the MacBook Pro, Primate Labs has data on four different models: the new Retina model with 2.3 GHz and 2.6 GHz processors and the non-Retina model with 2.3 GHz and 2.7 GHz processors. The top-of-the-line 2.7 GHz system registers with a Geekbench average score of 12,303, roughly 16% higher than the top-of-the-line 2.5 GHz Sandy Bridge system from the previous generation.


Notably, the leaked MacBook Pro benchmark from mid-May does appear to have been legitimate, with details corresponding to the new non-Retina 15-inch MacBook Pro. That machine is designated MacBookPro9,1, while the 13-inch model is designated MacBookPro9,2. The Retina MacBook Pro appears as MacBookPro10,1.

On the MacBook Air side, top-of-the-line systems are seeing boosts of over 20% in Geekbench scores over their corresponding predecessors. As with the MacBook Pro, even the low-end systems of the new generation outperform the high end of the previous generation.


Geekbench testing focuses on processor and memory performance, providing comparisons of raw power between machines but only telling part of the story. But with these machines seeing significant boosts in graphics performance with the addition of Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics and/or the NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, and systems with solid-state drives using faster drives than in the previous generation, real-world performance should see marked improvement.

Teardown of Mid-2012 MacBook Air Reveals Tweaked SSD Connector

Tuesday June 12, 2012 11:28 am PDT by Eric Slivka

The teardown experts at iFixit are currently in the process of taking apart the new 13-inch MacBook Air released yesterday, and while the machine appears to be only a minor update to the previous model, there are undoubtedly some changes that are worth noting.

The most notable change so far is with the solid-state storage. Apple has tweaked the connector design on the MacBook Air's integrated flash storage, making current replacement and upgrade modules from third parties incompatible with the latest models. Other World Computing has also noted this difference and indicated that they are working "full steam ahead" on launching new Aura Pro Express SSDs compatible with the 2012 MacBook Air. Apple announced at WWDC that it was using new 500 MBps SSDs in its MacBook Air, and the new connector design is likely to accommodate the faster data transfer capabilities.


Toshiba SSD in Mid-2012 MacBook Air
Beyond the SSD, iFixit has found very few changes to the MacBook Air. The new models incorporate Apple's thinner Magsafe 2 standard that the company developed as it has sought to find ways to continue reducing the thickness of its notebooks. The new MacBook Air obviously also incorporates Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors and new 1600 MHz RAM, as well as USB 3.0 support, but these upgrades have yielded very little in terms of changes to the machine's internal layout.


Left I/O board from Mid-2012 MacBook Air, with MagSafe 2 connector at left
iFixit's teardown is still underway, so there may yet be more news to come, and we will update this story with any additional discoveries of note.

Retina Display MacBook Pro and New MacBook Air Includes Thinner MagSafe 2 Power Port

Monday June 11, 2012 1:50 pm PDT by Jordan Golson

In its quest for thinness in the Retina Display MacBook Pro, Apple removed the optical drive and built the display into the unibody construction. The company's engineers also designed a new, thinner MagSafe power port to accommodate the notebook's 0.71" height.


The new MagSafe 2 connector -- which is incompatible with the original MagSafe power bricks as well as devices with a MagSafe power cord built into products like the Apple LED Cinema Display and Thunderbolt Display -- is included in the new Retina MacBook Pro as well as the new MacBook Air models. It seems likely the port will make its way to the legacy MacBook Pro models in a future update.

Apple is selling a MagSafe to Magsafe 2 Converter for $9.99 on the Apple Online Store, as well as new 85W and 45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for $79 each.

Apple Updates MacBook Pro and MacBook Air Models With Minor Spec Bumps

Monday June 11, 2012 12:55 pm PDT by Jordan Golson

Apple today announced minor updates to its MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines, including upgrades to flash storage, memory and processors.


The 11" and 13" MacBook Air models now include up to 512GB of flash storage, 60% faster graphics, up to 8GB of memory and a 2.0GHz i7 Ivy Bridge CPU. The machines have been upgraded with combined USB 3.0/2.0 ports as well as 720p FaceTime cameras. All MacBook Air models now include 4GB of RAM standard. Pricing remains similar to before, with only the premium 11" MacBook Air seeing a $100 price drop.

The 15" MacBook Pro model include Ivy Bridge quad-core i7 CPU's up to 2.7GHz, a 1GB GeForce GT 650M discrete graphics card, a standard 8GB of 1600 MHz memory, and USB 3.0/2.0 ports. Pricing remains the same at $1,799 and $2,199.

The 13" MacBook Pro includes Ivy Bridge dual-core i7 CPU's up to 2.9GHz. Pricing remains the same at $1,199 and $1,499.

MacBook Air Upgrades Said to Include Up to 8 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD

Monday June 11, 2012 8:36 am PDT by Eric Slivka

9to5Mac reports that it has received information on the MacBook Air upgrades to be announced today, with each of the 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch sizes arriving in two standard configurations with a third customizable high-end configuration also heading into stock at some retailers.


According to the report, the initial model descriptions include not only a boost in processor performance to Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors but also boosts to RAM (maxing out at 8 GB on both sizes) and solid-state drive capacity (maxing out at 512 GB on the 13-inch model). The descriptions include model number, short product name, screen size, processor speed in GHz, RAM in GB, and storage size in GB.

11-inch
Base Model: MD223LL/A - MBA 11.6/1.7/4/64FLASH-USA
Better: MD224LL/A - MBA 11.6/1.7/4/128FLASH-USA
High End: MD845LL/A – MBA 11.6/2.0/8/256FLASH-USA

13-inch
MD231LL/A – MBAIR 13.3/1.8/4/128FLASH-USA
MD232LL/A – MBAIR 13.3/1.8/4/256FLASH-USA
MD846LL/A – MBAIR 13.3/2.0/8/512FLASH-USA

The current MacBook Air includes 2 GB of RAM on the base 11-inch model, with all other models at both screen sizes offering 4 GB of RAM. On the storage side, it appears that the 11-inch model will not be seeing any changes given that the existing line starts at 64 GB and goes up to 256 GB at the high end, but the new 13-inch model is shown as introducing a new 512 GB option at the high end.

We also asked 9to5Mac about the implausible Mac Pro specs they published earlier today, and they assured us that those are indeed the specs that are showing up in inventory systems. Consequently, it remains unclear exactly what is going on with the Mac Pro and whether there might be errors or purposely incorrect information being provided by Apple.

Apple to Introduce Third MacBook Line with Retina Display at WWDC?

Friday June 8, 2012 7:57 am PDT by Eric Slivka

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today issued a new report outlining his belief that Apple's thinner, Retina-equipped Mac notebook will arrive next week as a new model, referring to the machine simply as a "MacBook". Kuo believes that this MacBook will be offered alongside upgraded versions of the existing 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models, with Apple being reluctant to do away with the current 13-inch design in particular due to its massive popularity.

We expect Apple (US) to unveil a new MacBook series independent from the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. We expect the new MacBook to have the following features:

(1) Basic 13” model to be priced at US$1,199
(2) No disc drive
(3) To come in both SSD and HDD
(4) Lighter and slimmer than MacBook Pro, with equal computing power
(5) Retinal display with tapered edge, larger battery capacity

Kuo also reiterates his earlier claims that Apple will discontinue the 17-inch MacBook Pro this year, citing estimates that the model makes up only 1% of Apple's notebook sales.

The introduction of this new "MacBook" model would leave Apple with a lineup of six notebooks, although Kuo predicts that issues with display yield and heat dissipation will push the release of the 13-inch MacBook back until August, leaving only the 15-inch model to make its debut next week.


Mention of an independent graphics chip on 13" MacBook Pro is an error - should be integrated graphics
We should note that this configuration of models is not accounted for in our speculation on part numbers that leaked earlier this week, but we did receive an unconfirmed tip of a different configuration that would match up with Kuo's claims fairly closely. In that scenario, new iMacs are not accounted for in the list and the J30/J31 model numbers represent updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models while the D2 model represents this new Retina-equipped 15-inch MacBook.

Kuo believes that Apple will wait until next year to re-simplify its notebook lines with Intel's Haswell platform, at which point the company will merge the MacBook Pro and this new MacBook model, leaving a set of four models: 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs and 13-inch and 15-inch MacBooks.

We do find Kuo's claims to be somewhat difficult to believe, as we fail to see how this new "MacBook" model is substantially different in performance from the MacBook Pro and thus do not see why users would be interested in a non-Retina MacBook Pro given the existence of this new MacBook line. Given the scenario outlined by Kuo, the only "advantage" of the thicker MacBook Pro would be an included optical drive, but users are finding such a feature to be increasingly unnecessary and easily replaceable by digital downloads such as through the Mac App Store, direct file transfers, and cloud-based storage, with an external optical drive available to be connected only on the rare occasions when necessary.

Still, Kuo has offered accurate information on Apple's notebook plans in the past, being the first to outlined the MacBook Air redesign that included the new 11-inch model, and thus we feel that his claims are worth some consideration and discussion.

Alleged New Part Numbers Suggest Over a Dozen New Mac Models Coming at WWDC [Updated]

Wednesday June 6, 2012 8:24 am PDT by Eric Slivka

Following yesterday's leak of Mac Pro part numbers, AppleInsider now posts a full list of 27 new part numbers said to be on their way to resellers in Australia. A total of 13 of the part numbers are listed as "standalone kits", indicating that they are accessories, which leaves as many as 14 Mac models included in the launch.


Based on hints included in the leaked image and some additional information, guesses can be made at the identities of some of the remaining products.

The first product on the list, part number MC414, is described as "K31 Best" and appears to have a price under AU$1000. The K31 part number initially appeared a year ago to describe what is now the current generation of Apple's Time Capsule base station. Consequently, this new listing may represent a capacity upgrade to the existing line.

The next group of part numbers includes a pair of "D2" machines with prices above AU$2000 and AU$3000 respectively, and these parts could represent new 15-inch MacBook Pro models. The current stock 15-inch models come in at AU$2099 and AU$2499, and the higher price on at least the new high-end model could be a result of a shift to solid-state storage. The identification of these part numbers as MacBook Pros is mere speculation, however, based only on the best fitting price points of current machines.

Two pairs of model numbers at J30 and J31 could represent updated iMacs, with the three lowest models being priced in the AU$1000-AU$1999 range and the top end model coming in above AU$2000. This fits with the existing iMac pricing, which is AU$1399/AU$1698 for the 21.5-inch size and AU$1949/AU$2299 for the 27-inch size.

The next two pairs of model numbers, J11 and J13, may also be linked and could represent new MacBook Air models. Only the first digit of the low-end J11 price can be seen, and it indicates that pricing begins above AU$1000, in line with the current AU$1099 entry-level price on the 11-inch model.

Following a list of 12 accessory part numbers comes the three Mac Pro models detailed yesterday, and the list concludes with a "PD454" part number that interestingly represents a personalized or engraved version of the B67(A) accessory that appears earlier in the list.

Notably, our speculation on the identities of the various part number does not include a 13-inch MacBook Pro, for which a claimed spec label leaked yesterday. It is possible that one of the model numbers such as J11 could represent two stock configurations of a 13-inch MacBook Pro, but that would leave Apple's set of four MacBook Air models incompletely accounted for in the part numbers.

We caution our readers that these guesses at identifying the various part numbers are indeed speculation based on best fits with Apple's current pricing structure and number of models offered in each of its Mac lines. We do not have specific knowledge of the identities of these models beyond what is shown in the leaked image.

Update: 9to5Mac posts a full matrix of parts and prices along with their speculation on models matching up with those parts. Their guesses are identical to ours with the exception of the K31 part, which with a price of AU$119 would represent a new AirPort Express rather than a Time Capsule upgrade.

The addition of prices for the accessories also indicates that the B67 product is a new iPod shuffle available in five colors and with personalization. Other likely accessories include an external SuperDrive and a USB 3.0 Ethernet adapter.

Apple to Update Nearly Entire Mac Lineup at WWDC?

Monday June 4, 2012 9:45 pm PDT by Eric Slivka

9to5Mac reports that Apple will update nearly all of its Mac products at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference, with "at least four