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Mac Hardware and Software |OT| - All things Macintosh
- Thread starter 3N16MA
- Start date
Yeah that never worked for me either. Not sure if it is "supposed" to happen or not.
Are you signed in to your Apple ID in iBooks? There's also a "Download new purchases" tickbox in prefs but I dunno if that would matter for user-added epubs.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
I think you might need to use iTunes to sync them.
Got the Shakes
Member
Pretty sure that is correct. I think you only get cloud syncing with books purchased through iBooks. If you are going to sideload books, you have to do it on every device that you want to view them on.
anonymous_abc
Member
I have that WD, its great.
Let me know how well it works, because I was considering this too, but the USB speed on my Fritzbox is a joke³
I'm not in a position to backup my computer as eight out of the 10 external hard drives have failed and two are in the shop.
I'm debating between buying a 5 TB external HDD or picking up a QNAP/Synology/Obscure Nas option and swapping drives as needed. Which one option should I pursue? I need one to archive 4 TBs of footage accumulated over 12 years, another drive to backup my itunes library, and another drive to function as a media server. I'm not sure what to do. If you told me six years ago there'd he storage solutions with RAM, processors, and ethernet ports then I'd laugh.
Once you start getting into multiple TB a NAS or DAS option seems to be the only intelligent choice. I've got a 16TB Lacie DAS that's pretty nice, aside from the damn noise.
Personally my preference is DAS because of the speed increases but if you want to do media server-y things then obviously a NAS has some better options for you (I've got a mac mini I use for server duty already.)I would imagine any NAS that works well with OS X wouldn't present issues with iTunes. You just need to create or migrate your existing library to a share and then point your application towards that share.
Got the Shakes
Member
Synology offers the ability for their NAS to operate as an iTunes server if that is the kind of functionality you are looking for. http://www.synology.com/en-us/dsm/app_packages/iTunesServer_landing
I have a Synology DS213j, and I don't use the iTunes server (although I really should), but I can tell you for all other media uses (housing my movies and tv to stream to my Plex Home Theater) it has been pretty flawless so far.
Looks like there's gonna be an Air Spec Bump next week.
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/24/updated-macbook-airs-next-week/
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/24/updated-macbook-airs-next-week/
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Seems strange they'd do it in April and with such a big update. (Retina in the Air would probably be cause for an event)
Yeah first there was that 12" Air rumor. And now a spec bump for the Air rumor in April/May. Usually they have been updating the Air in June/July. Also I thought the Air was basically spec'ed out in terms of the heat consumption allowed by its form factor.
If it was a major redesign or adding retina I agree that they would want to announce it on stage at some event.
If it was a major redesign or adding retina I agree that they would want to announce it on stage at some event.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Is a 12" MacBook really that important? Is 13" really that big and 11" really that small? I don't find 13", especially the Air or rPro, to be that big. Why would they need to put a 12" in the middle?
Though honestly I would consider one if they gave it the same power as the high-end 15" Retina. (The one I have with dual GPU and quad core.) They won't of course. But still. As much as I love my 15" and how light it is compared to pre-Retina ones, I'd still love a 13" with quad-core and dual-GPU and 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD. Shame it'd never happen. Those first two options are pretty much top of the line only with Apple. And who knows how long the dual-GPU option will stick around if integrated graphics get better.
Though honestly I would consider one if they gave it the same power as the high-end 15" Retina. (The one I have with dual GPU and quad core.) They won't of course. But still. As much as I love my 15" and how light it is compared to pre-Retina ones, I'd still love a 13" with quad-core and dual-GPU and 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD. Shame it'd never happen. Those first two options are pretty much top of the line only with Apple. And who knows how long the dual-GPU option will stick around if integrated graphics get better.
WWDC wouldn't be the place for a slight change in internals, so they release it a few weeks early so people don't assume WWDC will be about a Retina Air. We'll probably see a Retina Air in the Fall. Broadwell isn't ready for June and I don't see how a new Air would be anything but Broadwell.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
So I guess they'd just do slight unannounced bumps of Haswell and a major update with the rest of the MB's. Meaning they'd effectively be moving the major updates of all MacBook's to October instead of having Air in June and Retina in October. Makes sense. One event for all MacBook's.
Mr. Wonderful
Member
It would be nice if there was a coinciding Mac Mini update.
I told my friend to hold off from buying one back in February, and now I'm starting to feel bad. But the current models are so terrible spec-wise anymore.
I told my friend to hold off from buying one back in February, and now I'm starting to feel bad. But the current models are so terrible spec-wise anymore.
Got the Shakes
Member
I bit the bullet and bought one a month ago when they were on sale at Best Buy, but I was only looking for something to use as a HTPC and run a Plex server that I just didn't feel like waiting anymore.
http://www.villageinstruments.com/tiki-index.php?page=ViDock
Does anyone have any experience with viidock? This mitigates the graphic card issues somewhat IMHO. Add in the fact that you can use 256 GB SD cards, 1 TB USB sticks and this means someone could theoretically stretch out the life of their machine.
Does anyone have any experience with viidock? This mitigates the graphic card issues somewhat IMHO. Add in the fact that you can use 256 GB SD cards, 1 TB USB sticks and this means someone could theoretically stretch out the life of their machine.
The 12" version would be a rMBA, with the new "fanless" design. 13" is NOT too big, in fact I think it is the perfect size for a laptop.
I'd kill for a 13" rMBP with a real graphics option though, or at least the ability to upgrade to a CPU with Iris Pro, but I'd also kill for a new Mac Mini with a GTX 860M Maxwell chip in it
A 12" can replace both the 11" and 13" models by doing everything the 13" can and being not much larger than the 11". IMO, it's high time they killed off the 11". It never made much sense especially given the awful resolution.
Got the Shakes
Member
That's actually pretty neat. Would that work as an addon graphics card for a rMBP?
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Love mine, FWIW. I hope it still exists when I feel like upgrading.
I think you'd want to see a review, I believe there's concern there isn't enough bandwidth through TB to use a powerful GPU to its fullest.
Looks like TB3 will effectively deal with that obstacle, although not having backwards compatibility with the ports sucks.
Got the Shakes
Member
It's nothing I'd jump the gun on, I was just curious. There is this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSDwuAi4NwY floating around which is that a ViDock setup this guy is running is capable of Assassins Creed IV with a fps of 60+ at 1080p (not sure what graphic settings are being used though) on a GTX 760. I am admittedly not all that well versed in graphics cards anymore though so I'm not sure how impressive that really is.
While TB doesn't allow turning a laptop into a modern high-end gaming desktop, it certainly allows beating the current high end iMac and its laptop GPU.
Compared to the average (Intel integrated) GPU in a Mac laptop, anything with such performance that TB constraints make the slightest difference is like ultra-advanced alien technology.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
I wonder if they'd replace both with it though. Would make some sense to have one 12" Air and leave the 13" and 15" to the rPro. Just to streamline the product line.
Though these days all their MBs are so light and thin that the Air doesn't have the same impact.
The impact is in your wallet
I'd love to have the cash to throw at a rMBP with the highest specs but can't justify it
CrudeDiatribe
Member
True; I am just accustomed to seeing people expecting gaming PC levels of panacea in their TB-bussed-external-GPU fantasies.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
It took me forever to save up. But I'm also not going to replace it for 3 years at least so I'm actually saving money compared to the three machines I had bought on a yearly basis the three years before.The impact is in your wallet
I'd love to have the cash to throw at a rMBP with the highest specs but can't justify it
People buy new machines yearly?* Crikey.
*People who aren't Mac pundits like Gruber and Dalrymple I guess.
I guess I just absorbed my parent's strategy when they ran a design studio of updating every four years, but these days I'd say you can hold out even longer, assuming your properly kit out your hardware in the first place.
My upgrade path:
Mac IIci -> PowerMac 7100/66 -> PowerMac G3 Minitower -> PowerMac G4 Digital Audio -> PowerMac G5 Dual 1.8 -> Macbook Pro 4,1 -> current Mac Pro 3,1 and Mac mini 5,2.
I'm probably going to keep the Mac Pro indefinitely for the emulators/VM I've installed and ability to run 10.6 for Rosetta and classic gaming; the Mac mini I'll probably use for a server, right now I'm mostly just using it for the Thunderbolt port to transfer video from my Blackmagic Shuttle.
But when those second-gen nMP's hit... om nom nom. Can't wait to see what that speed does to my AE renders.
*People who aren't Mac pundits like Gruber and Dalrymple I guess.
I guess I just absorbed my parent's strategy when they ran a design studio of updating every four years, but these days I'd say you can hold out even longer, assuming your properly kit out your hardware in the first place.
My upgrade path:
Mac IIci -> PowerMac 7100/66 -> PowerMac G3 Minitower -> PowerMac G4 Digital Audio -> PowerMac G5 Dual 1.8 -> Macbook Pro 4,1 -> current Mac Pro 3,1 and Mac mini 5,2.
I'm probably going to keep the Mac Pro indefinitely for the emulators/VM I've installed and ability to run 10.6 for Rosetta and classic gaming; the Mac mini I'll probably use for a server, right now I'm mostly just using it for the Thunderbolt port to transfer video from my Blackmagic Shuttle.
But when those second-gen nMP's hit... om nom nom. Can't wait to see what that speed does to my AE renders.
... but TB can give you "gaming PC" performance. Hanging a high end GPU on TB will beat something like 80-90% of all PCs used for gaming. Haven't you seen Steam statistics?
Intel HD 4000 top Mac GPU! (The 5100 and 5200 Iris are collectively about 6%.)
My Apple upgrade path.
Apple IIgs
>> Lots of stuff that I don't have at the tip of my tounge right now >> 2008 15" MBP >>> 2009 27" iMac >>> 2011 13" MBA >>> 2012 15" rMBP >>> 2013 11" MBA >>> ???
Most if the time I get the processor upgrades and maxed ram. And That's not counting iOS devices. All my computers from 2009 onward are still in regular use too.
Apple IIgs
with $2K 20MB HDD
Most if the time I get the processor upgrades and maxed ram. And That's not counting iOS devices. All my computers from 2009 onward are still in regular use too.
Yeah I gotta slow down.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
I did for three years. I kept buying a low end machine (2010 13" MBP, 2011 13" Air and 2012 13" Air) and kept feeling like it was outdated so soon. So I decided to go all out and get one to last me a while.
Have you ever stopped and run a cost analysis? I don't think I'd frequently buy even if it were less expensive, but I do wonder if that is a viable strategy for some people. Throwing down rough numbers, if you bought base retail for the comps you mention, you'd hit $3,697 at least (I guess plus the BTO and sales tax.) Buy a current 15" MBP and top it out and you're looking at $3299, so I guess if it lasts three years or longer you come out ahead. But complicating matters is how much you'll get for ultimately selling those computers, and if you do even an entry-level model one year after versus a specced out model three or four years later, which you'd expect to work in your favor.
*Edit: Also complicating the matter is the stacking costs of AppleCare, though I guess if you're dumping a computer after a year you wouldn't get it--unless you were using that to juice the sale price.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Why do you think I went top of the line this time. I blame Intel for advancing their processors so fast.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
I sold my 2010 Pro to my dad. My 2011 Air to my brother and the 2012 Air to him when he gave the 2011 model to his girlfriend. (She had an old first generation 15" MBP that finally died when he spilled something on it. Though it haas been dying for years prior anyway.)
It's all in the family.
It's all in the family.
CountBlack
Member
Hey guys, what's the best and easiest way to clean a MBP screen?
Mines starting to get a lot of finger prints and other stuff on the screen.
Should I spray some glasses cleaner onto a soft cloth and clean it that way?
Mines starting to get a lot of finger prints and other stuff on the screen.
Should I spray some glasses cleaner onto a soft cloth and clean it that way?
I decided to have some fun with resolutions and came to the conclusion that 3360 x 2100 is only useful for movies.
Honestly anything higher than 2048 x 1280 is overkill for my average needs. I split time between 1680 x 1050 and 2048 x 1280.
Which one of these resolutions is 4K? Whoever said eye strain is real with these displays isn't lying. That 2580 resolution is difficult to type on. Practically speaking, I'd rather use mission control to switch windows than have one window using a 2580 resolution.
How do you solve the productivity issue?
Honestly anything higher than 2048 x 1280 is overkill for my average needs. I split time between 1680 x 1050 and 2048 x 1280.
Which one of these resolutions is 4K? Whoever said eye strain is real with these displays isn't lying. That 2580 resolution is difficult to type on. Practically speaking, I'd rather use mission control to switch windows than have one window using a 2580 resolution.
How do you solve the productivity issue?
I think you don't quite understand how Apple drives the retina displays. The actual pixels you are looking at at any time are 2560x1600. You get the best image quality when the Mac is set to its default 1280x800 HiDPI resolution. Then, all screen elements which support retina are drawn correctly in the resolution of the screen, while elements which don't support it are drawn at 1280x800 and then every pixel is exactly quadrupled so they are the correct size though not as sharp as the retina-supported elements. As long as your movie player supports retina, this is also the optimal resolution for movies. If you were e.g. editing screenfuls of plain text, you should also choose this resolution, and adjust text size to fit more text on screen rather than change the resolution.
What happens if you set a higher resolution, like 1680×1050 HiDPI, is that the Mac draws everything as if the display was 3360×2100 and then downscales to 2560×1600. More stuff fits on the screen, but everything is slightly blurred as a result of the downscale and you are also burning processing power to do this. Using these alternative resolutions makes the most sense when you use apps that eat up a lot of screen space with menus and toolbars, and fail to reduce the size of those elements on retina displays.
4k resolution, in context of computers, is 3840×2160. Apart from being 16:9, it would be a fine resolution for a 15" or 17" rMBP. For my taste the current resolutions are considerably too low. The 13" should have at least the 2880x1800 currently found on the 15", thus having an optimal resolution of 1440x900 HiDPI.
Autumn Wind
Member
What exactly would a "low-cost" iMac entail? To me the $1,299 current iMac would be fine if it had the PCIe SSD as standard and not a 5,400 rpm HDD.
Only a matter of time until it's PCIe flash in everything, though I am surprised the 5400rpm drives have stuck around as long as they have.
ComputerMKII
Banned
Why, oh God WHY did I buy my Macbook Air with only 4 GB of RAM? Using Firefox or Chrome with several extensions, userscripts and tabs (I rarely even go over 15-20 tabs at once) is a pain in the arse (especially with GAF since it's so picture/GIF/WebM-heavy). And yes I've installed Memory Clean.
I swear, next time I buy a laptop I'll pay whatever it takes to have a lot of RAM.
I swear, next time I buy a laptop I'll pay whatever it takes to have a lot of RAM.