by James Galbraith, Macworld.com Oct 31, 2011 3:00 pm
Complete Coverage
Last week’s announcement of updates to the MacBook Pro was so low-key you might have missed it. And truth be told, it wasn't the flashiest update Apple has ever made to its portable lineup, with new processors and graphics highlighting the changes. While the improvements in the new MacBook Pros are modest when compared to the models they replace, there's plenty to like about the upgrades—especially if you’re the owner of an older laptop and you’re mulling an upgrade.
What’s new
While MacBook Pro prices stayed the same as the models introduced earlier this year, the components inside received subtle—yet welcome—updates. The $1199 entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro upgrades its 2.3GHz dual-core Core i5 processor to a faster 2.4GHz dual-core Core i5 chip; its 320GB hard drive has been swapped out for a 500GB model. The $1499 13-inch MacBook Pro now has a 2.8GHz dual-core Core i7 processor and a 750GB hard drive; it previously had a 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor and a 500GB hard drive. The 13-inch models continue to use the same Intel HD Graphics 3000 integrated graphics as the previous MacBook Pros.
The 15-inch models were updated with 2.2GHz ($1799) and 2.4GHz ($2199) quad-core Core i7 processors, up from 2.0GHz and 2.2GHz, respectively. Graphics in the 15-inch systems also saw an upgrade: The $1799 model now has a 512MB AMD Radeon HD 6750M, while the $2199 model has a 1GB AMD Radeon HD 6770M. The storage capacity hasn’t changed on the 15-inch models, with a 500GB hard drive in the $1799 model, and a 750GB hard drive in the $2199 model.
As with the previous generation of MacBook Pros, the 17-inch $2499 model matches the $2199 15-inch model in all specifications, aside from screen size and the addition of a ExpressCard/34 slot.
What hasn’t changed
Externally, the new MacBook Pros are identical to the early 2011 models. The glossy LED backlit screens each measure 13.3-, 15.4-, and 17-inches diagonally, with 1280-by-800, 1440-by-900, and 1920-by-1200 pixel resolutions, respectively. All systems have a full-sized, backlit keyboard, as well as glass multi-touch trackpads with gesture support.
The FaceTime HD webcam, stereo speakers and built-in microphone remain the same, as do the number of ports on every model: one FireWire 800, one Gigabit Ethernet, a MagSafe power connector, and one audio in and one audio out port. The 13- and 15-inch models have two USB 2.0 ports and a SDXC card slot. The 17-inch model has three USB 2.0 ports and an ExpressCard/34 slot. All of the new MacBook Pros have a Thunderbolt port, which was introduced in the early 2011 models
Benchmarks: 13-inch MacBook Pros
In terms of performance, the differences between the latest MacBook Pros and their immediate predecessors are, for the most part, as subtle as the upgrade announcement. The new $1199 13-inch 2.4GHz Core i5 MacBook Pro is just a little over 4 percent faster than the 2.3GHz system it replaces. The $1499 13-inch 2.8GHz Core i7 model is about 9 percent faster than the system it replaces.
The most interesting results were in our Photoshop and Aperture tests, which are both faster on the older systems. According to Apple's website, the MacBook Pro may adjust processor speed to avoid running into thermal issues. That could be happening in these tests. It's also possible that the hard drives may be affecting the results.
Benchmarks: 13-inch MacBook Pros (Late 2011)
Speedmark 7 Duplicate 2GB Folder Zip 4GB Folder Unzip 4GB File Pages '09 Open Word Doc 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i5 (Late 2011) 146 68.6 249.1 146.4 83.7 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.8GHz Core i7, (Late 2011) 164 54.1 208.0 114.8 84.3 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.3GHz Core i5 (Early 2011) 140 69.7 271.1 180.3 89.8 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.7GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 151 66.4 224.9 149.8 103.0 Speedmark 7 results are scores; higher scores are better. All other results above are in seconds; lower is better. References models in italics. Best result in bold.
Benchmarks: 13-inch MacBook Pros (Late 2011)
Import iMovie '11 Archive iMovie '11 Share to iTunes: Mobile iTunes 10 AAC to MP3 Encode HandBrake 0.9.5 Encode 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i5 (Late 2011) 109.3 88.2 88.8 203.8 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.8GHz Core i7, (Late 2011) 95.8 79.0 79.0 174.0 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.3GHz Core i5 (Early 2011) 116.0 87.5 99.7 210.0 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.7GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 107.0 90.8 78.7 186.0 Results above are in seconds; lower is better. References models in italics. Best result in bold.
Benchmarks: 13-inch MacBook Pros (Late 2011)
Cinebench OpenGL Cinebench CPU Parallels WorldBench 6 Multitasking Test on Windows 7 Photoshop CS5 Action Script 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i5 (Late 2011) 12.9 155.2 318.0 145.8 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.8GHz Core i7, (Late 2011) 13.4 132.3 269.7 138.1 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.3GHz Core i5 (Early 2011) 12.5 161.0 328.0 128.0 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.7GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 12.7 140.7 274.0 122.4 Cinebench OpenGL results are scores; higher is better. All other results above are in seconds; lower is better. References models in italics. Best result in bold.
Benchmarks: 13-inch MacBook Pros (Late 2011)
Aperture 3 Import and Process 207 Photos iPhoto '11 Import 500 Photos Mathematica 8 Portal 2 (1280x800) 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i5 (Late 2011) 118.6 178.4 1.09 61.5 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.8GHz Core i7, (Late 2011) 113.7 151.5 1.11 67.1 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.3GHz Core i5 (Early 2011) 121.3 171.7 0.95 61.8 13-inch MacBook Pro/2.7GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 105.4 162.2 1.02 59.5 Mathematica 8 results are scores; higher is better. Portal 2 results are framerates; higher is better. All other results above are in seconds; lower is better. References models in italics. Best result in bold.
Benchmarks: 15-inch MacBook Pros
The $1799 15-inch 2.2GHz Core i7 MacBook Pro is a little more than 12 percent faster than the 2GHz model it replaces, with graphics performance being the biggest change. With its Radeon HD 6750M graphics, the $1799 model displays 85 percent more frames per second in Cinebench’s Open GL test than last year’s comparable model and its 256MB AMD Radeon HD 6490M graphics processor. Our Portal 2 tests also shows great improvement, with the new $1799 model displaying 160 frames per second, as compared to the 68.6 frames that last year’s $1799 model was able to display. The graphics in the new $1799 model are identical to that found in last year’s $2199 model, and the Portal and Cinebench OpenGL test results of those two models are also practically identical.
The new graphics in the $2199 15-inch 2.4GHz Core i7 MacBook Pro perform a little faster than the graphics in the previous $2199 model, a 15-inch 2.2GHz Core i7 MacBook Pro. Overall, the new $2199 model’s graphics run about 7 percent faster overall than its predecessor. The new $2199 model displayed nearly 12 percent more frames per second in the Cinebench OpenGL test, and 8 percent more frames per second in our Portal 2 tests.
The new 17-inch model is a little more than 4 percent faster overall than the early 2011 17-inch MacBook Pro.
Benchmarks: 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros (Late 2011)
Speedmark 7 Duplicate 2GB Folder Zip 4GB Folder Unzip 4GB File Pages '09 Open Word Doc 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 190 74.4 245.5 168.9 88.6 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 219 52.7 217.4 131.6 76.0 17-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 216 55.8 223.4 123.5 79.0 15-inch MacBook Pro/2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 169 73.7 261.1 153.3 89.4 15-inch Macbook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 205 59.6 234.3 125.5 83.3 17-inch MacBook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 207 54.2 219.3 119.9 76.1 Speedmark 7 results are scores; higher scores are faster. All other results above are in seconds; lower is better. References models in italics. Best result in bold.
Benchmarks: 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros (Late 2011)
Import iMovie '11 Archive iMovie '11 Share to iTunes: Mobile iTunes 10 AAC to MP3 Encode HandBrake 0.9.5 Encode 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 82.2 60.8 80.6 108.2 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 70.2 52.6 71.5 100.5 17-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 68.3 54.9 72.0 99.1 15-inch MacBook Pro/2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 81.0 85.3 84.9 115.6 15-inch Macbook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 73.7 65.0 75.2 106.9 17-inch MacBook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 74.2 66.8 81.9 103.2 Results above are in seconds; lower is better. References models in italics. Best result in bold.
Benchmarks: 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros (Late 2011)
Cinebench OpenGL Cinebench CPU Parallels WorldBench 6 Multitasking Test on Windows 7 Photoshop CS5 Action Script 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 38.7 81.9 288.3 147.9 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 43.3 76.0 234.0 149.8 17-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 42.6 76.2 261.3 149.5 15-inch MacBook Pro/2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 20.9 86.9 280.7 144.5 15-inch Macbook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 38.8 81.9 267.7 148.9 17-inch MacBook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 38.8 82.0 265.3 147.5 Cinebench OpenGL results are scores; higher is better. All other results above are in seconds; lower is better. References models in italics. Best result in bold.
Benchmarks: 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros (Late 2011)
Aperture 3 Import and Process 207 Photos iPhoto '11 Import 500 Photos Mathematica 8 Portal 2 (1280x800) 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 117.2 186.2 1.55 160.0 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 103.9 141.2 1.64 174.3 17-inch MacBook Pro/2.4GHz Core i7 (Late 2011) 103.0 142.5 1.64 169.6 15-inch MacBook Pro/2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 115.5 170.4 1.46 68.6 15-inch Macbook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 101.5 141.2 1.52 160.9 17-inch MacBook Pro/2.2GHz Core i7 (Early 2011) 106.5 139.7 1.57 156.0 Mathematica 8 results are scores; higher is better. Portal 2 results are framerates; higher is better. All other results above are in seconds; lower is better. References models in italics. Best result in bold.
How we tested. We duplicated a 2GB file, created a Zip archive in the Finder from the two 2GB files and then unzipped it. In iMovie ’11, we imported a camera archive and exported it to iTunes using the Mobile Devices setting. We converted 135 minutes of AAC audio files to MP3 using iTunes’ High Quality setting. We used HandBrake 0.9.5 to encode a single chapter from a DVD previously ripped to the hard drive to H.264 using the application's Normal settings. We recorded how long it took to render a scene with multiprocessors in Cinebench and ran that application's OpenGL, frames per second test. We ran a timedemo in Call of Duty 4 at a resolution of 1024-by-768 with 4X anti-aliasing turned on. We installed Parallels 6 and ran WorldBench 6's Multitask test.—Macworld Lab testing by James Galbraith, Mauricio Grijalva and William Wang
Battery life also seems to be similar to the last set of MacBook Pros, getting between 5.5 and 6 hours of battery life in our fullscreen video playback test at full brightness.
Macworld’s buying advice
The new MacBook Pro lineup won’t cause any buyer’s remorse for those who purchased a member of the early 2011 family, or perhaps even for buyers of a 2010 MacBook Pro. If you have a laptop that's older, however, the late 2011 MacBook Pros feature faster processors, larger capacity hard drives in the 13-inch models, and improved graphics in the 15- and 17-inch models that combine to make already attractive systems an even greater value.
[James Galbraith is Macworld’s lab director.]
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Monday, October 31, 2011
New MacBook Pros (Late 2011) feature updates that boost performance and value Review | Macworld
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Before iCloud there was Google Sync
I've been using Google Sync for a couple years before iCloud came along. Here's a video that got me started.
There a people in the world that don't give a shit!! (Graphic video)
There are people in the world that don't give a shit!!! REALLY, they don't. This is the world we live in. Each of us, including myself, are responsible to bring light in a dark world. This is one of many tragic events that happen everyday.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Configure iCloud for Multiple Apple IDs via lifehacker.com
If your family uses one Apple ID to purchase music and apps and have more than one iPhone or iPod Touch you probably won't want to share the same Apple ID account for iCloud on each phone. Doing so would sync the same contacts, inbox, bookmarks and other personal settings. Instead, create a new Apple ID for each person using iCloud and specify in your settings which Apple ID is to be used for purchases and which to use for iCloud.
MacWorld magazine reports that Apple approves of using multiple Apple ID accounts for this purpose and also recommends configuring iMessage to use your new unique Apple ID created for iCloud.
This way you, your spouse, and your teen can all share the same account for purchasing music and apps yet you each have a free 5GB iCloud account for your personal data. As long as you specify which application should use the proper Apple ID there should be no sharing of iCloud data between family users.
If your family uses one Apple ID to purchase music and apps and have more than one iPhone or iPod Touch you probably won't want to share the same Apple ID account for iCloud on each phone. Doing so would sync the same contacts, inbox, bookmarks and other personal settings. Instead, create a new Apple ID for each person using iCloud and specify in your settings which Apple ID is to be used for purchases and which to use for iCloud. Hold Off From Cleaning Your Barbecue Grill Until Spring via lifehacker.com
If you're getting ready to put the barbecue grill away for winter, organization blog Unclutterer suggests leaving the baked-on crust intact on the grill to keep it from rusting.
You still need to wipe down your grill if you're storing it for winter, but if you keep yourself from scrubbing it clean before it gets cold, the coating on the metal grate will ensure no air or water come into contact with it, which keeps it from rusting. Come spring, you can get to the deep cleaning by heating it over an open flame for around ten minutes and then scrubbing the coating off with ease. Photo by Ben Bosma.
Clean your barbecue grill? Might want to wait until spring | Unclutterer
If you're getting ready to put the barbecue grill away for winter, organization blog Unclutterer suggests leaving the baked-on crust intact on the grill to keep it from rusting.Adobe Reader for iOS Now Available via lifehacker.com
iOS: Adobe has released an iOS version of its popular PDF reader for iOS as a universal app for both iPad and iPhone.
Like the desktop version, you can't edit files, but you can access encrypted ones, as well as search, bookmark and copy text to the clipboard. It also lets you share PDF files with other applications, email, and print via AirPrint. It's a free download.
Adobe Reader | iTunes App Store
Top 10 Tricks for Dealing With Email Overload via Lifehacker
It doesn't matter what you do, modern jobs seem to require that everyone barrage you with email at all hours of the day. If you're feeling overwhelmed and like you'll never get back to a clean inbox, here are ten of our favorite tips to help you manage the ever-growing mountain of email.
10. Get to Know Your Email Client
If you're going to effectively manage your email, you'll need to know your way around your email client like the back of your hand—whatever your client may be. We're big fans of Gmail, and we've written a lot on how to become a Gmail master, including some of our favorite experimental Gmail features you should definitely enable. If you're not a Gmail user, we've written many tips about Outlook and Thunderbird too—but you can't go wrong with reading your client's documentation to learn a bit more.
9. Learn Your Email Values
Lots of time you spend dealing with email is spent writing email, and clearing up confusion with email you sent earlier. Spend less time on email and more time working by practicing good email habits: like clarity, concision, making it actionable, and relevance. The less time you spend communicating simple ideas, the less time you'll spend sifting through your inbox.
8. Filter Priority Messages
Chances are, not every single email you get requires your attention right away. Filter out the important messages so when you're crunched for time, you can prioritize what email you answer so you don't waste time. Gmail's Priority Inbox is a fantastic, automated way to do this, although you could probably accomplish something similar with a few well-crafted filters in any email client.
7. Don't Check It Too Often
Whatever you do, don't be a slave to your email notifications. Answering your email every time you see that little popup, hear that little ding, or watch that icon badge climb up another point will kill your productivity. Assign yourself a 15-minute minimum for email checking: Let the emails come in, and then check it periodically throughout your day instead of every time a new one comes in. And don't check it first thing in the morning, either, or you'll never get anything done.
6. Respond In a Timely Manner
Responding to your email quickly keeps you looking professional, but it's a balancing act. Try following the 2-2-2 rule, which says to aim for answering emails within two hours of their arrival. If you don't have time to respond to it right now, a service like Boomerang for Gmail can remind you of it later on so you don't let it float to the bottom of your inbox. Remember, responding in a timely manner is not the same as responding immediately—not only does that mean you're breaking tip number 7, but it means people will then expect you to always reply instantly, which is often an unachievable goal.
5. Keep It Under Control When You're On Vacation
If you think your email is overloaded, wait until you come back from a week-long vacation—it becomes an unclimbable mountain. Instead of dreading your vacation, take an actual delete-all-email sabbatical. Let everyone know you'll be gone, set up an auto-responder that tells them to email you back later, and delete everything that comes in. That way, you come back to an empty inbox, and anything important enough to wait for your return will be re-sent when you come home.
4. Use Text Expansion to Save Yourself Hours of Typing
If you find you're typing a lot of the same phrases over and over again in email, it's time to automate that. We've long advocated using a system-wide text expander that replaces tiny snippets of text with oft-used phrases. That way, when you need to type a canned response, an address, or any other tedious amount of text, you can just hit a few keys on your keyboard and be on your way to the next email.
3. Learn to Use the Search Function
A recent study found that wading through email folders is an inefficient way to search through old messages. This doesn't mean don't use folders—You don't want to become an email piler, where everything piles up in your inbox—but it means learn to use your client's search function. When it comes time to find that old email, don't go clicking through folders, use advanced search operators in conjunction with good filters to find what you're looking for.
2. Get Rid of Unwanted Spam
It's unlikely work email is the only thing overloading you. The other thing taking up all that space in your inbox is spam, and while it seems impossible to get rid of, there are a lot of techniques you can use to keep it at a minimum. First, make sure you know which messages were sent directly to you and not to a mailing list, by coloring them in Outlook, highlighting them in Thunderbird, or turning on personal level indicators in Gmail. Next, you can avoid incoming spam by filtering the word "unsubscribe", and filter future spam by using a temporary, disposable email address from a service like Trashmail or Mailinator. With a few extra filters and tools, you can keep your inbox (mostly) free of any spam that comes your way.
1. Triage Your Email to an Empty Inbox
In the end, the best way to get to inbox zero is to get your email out of your inbox, act on it, then archive it away. We've always advocated triaging your inbox with the trusted trio of folders: Follow Up, Archive, and Hold. If you can get by without ever leaving a read message in your inbox, you'll be able to achieve that mental peace you've always wished for. Check out our full guide to email triage to learn more.
These aren't the only tips that'll help you keep a clean inbox, but they're some of the ones we've found most useful over the years. Got your own tip or trick to dealing with a constant barrage of messages? Let us know about it in the comments.
It doesn't matter what you do, modern jobs seem to require that everyone barrage you with email at all hours of the day. If you're feeling overwhelmed and like you'll never get back to a clean inbox, here are ten of our favorite tips to help you manage the ever-growing mountain of email. 
Chances are, not every single email you get requires your attention right away. Filter out the important messages so when you're crunched for time, you can prioritize what email you answer so you don't waste time. 
Friday, October 14, 2011
How to Integrate Google Calendar to Thunderbird
The latest version of Ubuntu has removed Evolution and replaced it with Thunderbird. For those who are first time using Thunderbird, you will discover that, unlike Evolution, Thunderbird doesn’t come with a Calendar/Task feature. You are not able to add any events/tasks, not to mention the integration of Google Calendar. However, the good thing about Thunderbird is that it supports add-ons and the great number of add-ons in its library makes it one of the best email client around. In this tutorial, let’s take a look at how you can set up Calendar in Thunderbird and integrate Google Calendar with it.
Note: The Thunderbird version used in this tutorial is version 7.01. If you are using older or the bleeding edge version, I can’t promise that this tutorial will work.Setup Calendar in Thunderbird
Out of the many calendar add-ons in Thunderbird, Lightning is the best. It adds a full feature calendar system to Thunderbird and it integrates so well that you don’t even see the differences.
1. Open Thunderbird. Go to “Tool -> Add-ons”. Search for Lightning.
2. Install Lightning. Restart your Thunderbird.
3. You should see a new “Events and Tasks” option in the menu bar. Go to “Events and Tasks -> Calendar” and the calendar will show up in a new tab. You can start adding events and tasks to your Thunderbird.
Integrating Google Calendar to Thunderbird
Now that you have set up Calendar in Thunderbird, the next step is to integrate Google Calendar to Lightning. Provider for Google Calendar is one good add-on that can get the job done.
1. In Thunderbird, go to “Tool -> Add-ons” and search for “google calendar”. Scroll through the list to find “Provider for Google Calendar” and install it. Restart Thunderbird.
2. Next, open your browser and login to your Google Calendar account. Go to “Calendar Settings”.
3. Click on the Calendar tab, follow by the calendar that you want to integrate to Thunderbird.
4. Scroll down till you see the “Calendar Address” field. You should see three icons beside it, with the label XML, iCal, HTML respectively. Right-click at the XML icon and select “Copy Link Location”.
5. Go back to your Thunderbird. Go to “File -> New -> Calender”. On the popup window, select “On the network” and click Next.
6. In the next window, select “Google Calendar” and paste in the link that you have copied earlier.
7. Give your new calendar a name and set the color.
8. Enter your Google username and password. You might want to check the box “save password in Password manager” so it won’t prompt you for password in the future.
9. Lastly, once you see the “Your Calendar has been created” message. You are done integrating your Google calendar to Thunderbird.
Repeat the same steps for each and every Google Calendar that you want to add to Thunderbird. The “Provider for Google Calendar” supports a two-way sync, so you can add/edit events and tasks in Thunderbird and have them synced back to the Google server.
That’s it. What other ways do you use to integrate Google Calendar to Thunderbird?
Get 50 GB of Free Storage for Life on Box.Net—IF You're an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch User
iOS: Now through December 2, cloud storage provider Box.net is giving away free 50 GB accounts you can use forever. The account is good on your PC too, but to get the 50 GB upgrade, you'll need to download and sign in or register from the iPhone or iPad app.
Basically anyone who uses a Box Personal account on an iOS device will get this upgraded free storage space (increased from the usual 5GB of free space usually doled out). According to Box.net's blog post introducing the offer, you'll also get an increased file size upload limit of 100MB instead of 25MB.
It's unfortunate that Android and other mobile users aren't getting this same love, but one of the comments on the blog post suggest a "fix" (we haven't tested this yet):
Download itunes. Make an account. Go to apple store. Download the app on the device. Create account get 50GB space. Go to the phone's settings and scroll down to Store. Click on logout so it logs you out of your itunes account. Also remember to delete the App off the phone.
You have 50 days from now to grab your 50GB of free space. What do you think? Will you be using Box.net for your cloud storage now?
Box for iPad and iPhone | iTunes App Store via Fat Wallet
You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter or Google+.
iOS: Now through December 2, cloud storage provider Box.net is giving away free 50 GB accounts you can use forever. The account is good on your PC too, but to get the 50 GB upgrade, you'll need to download and sign in or register from the iPhone or iPad app. Get 50 GB of Free Storage for Life on Box.Net—IF You're an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch User
iOS: Now through December 2, cloud storage provider Box.net is giving away free 50 GB accounts you can use forever. The account is good on your PC too, but to get the 50 GB upgrade, you'll need to download and sign in or register from the iPhone or iPad app.
Basically anyone who uses a Box Personal account on an iOS device will get this upgraded free storage space (increased from the usual 5GB of free space usually doled out). According to Box.net's blog post introducing the offer, you'll also get an increased file size upload limit of 100MB instead of 25MB.
It's unfortunate that Android and other mobile users aren't getting this same love, but one of the comments on the blog post suggest a "fix" (we haven't tested this yet):
Download itunes. Make an account. Go to apple store. Download the app on the device. Create account get 50GB space. Go to the phone's settings and scroll down to Store. Click on logout so it logs you out of your itunes account. Also remember to delete the App off the phone.
You have 50 days from now to grab your 50GB of free space. What do you think? Will you be using Box.net for your cloud storage now?
Box for iPad and iPhone | iTunes App Store via Fat Wallet
You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter or Google+.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
How To Upgrade Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) To 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot) (Desktop & Server) | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials
How To Upgrade Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) To 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot) (Desktop & Server)
Version 1.0
Author: Falko Timme <ft [at] falkotimme [dot] com>
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Last edited 10/13/2011The new Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot) has just been released. This guide shows how you can upgrade your Ubuntu 11.04 desktop and server installations to Ubuntu 11.10.
This document comes without warranty of any kind! I do not issue any guarantee that this will work for you!
1 Desktop
Start the Update Manager (System > Administration > Update Manager):
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The Update Manager should show that a new distribution release (11.10) is available. Click on the Upgrade button to start the distribution upgrade:
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A window with the release notes for 11.10 comes up. Click on Upgrade again:
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The upgrade tool is now being downloaded. Afterwards, type in your password:
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The upgrade is being prepared:
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Click on Start Upgrade to finally begin with the upgrade process:
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The upgrade packages are now being downloaded...
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... and installed. This can take some time, so please be patient.
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At the end of the upgrade process, you should remove obsolete packages:
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The system needs to be rebooted to complete the upgrade, therefore click on Restart Now:
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When you log in, Ubuntu 11.10 will by default start the new Unity desktop:
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Welcome to your new your new Ubuntu 11.10 desktop:
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If you want to use GNOME instead of Unity, you must install it first. Open the Ubuntu Software Center and search for gnome. Click on the Install button next to the GNOME package to install the GNOME desktop environment:
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Afterwards log out of your desktop session. Back at the login screen, you now have the option to choose GNOME:
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And this is how Ubuntu 11.10 looks with the GNOME desktop:
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How To Upgrade Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) To 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot) (Desktop & Server) - Page 2Copyright © 2011 Falko Timme
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