U.S. Apple Store iPad 2 order times improve to 3-4 weeks

If you’ve been hankering for a new iPad 2, there’s good news for you.

Availability of the iPad 2 has begun to improve, as Apple has eased the estimated ship time to between three and four weeks for new orders through its online store in the U.S.

Per AppleInsider, the new estimated shipping times for U.S. customers are an improvement from the previous estimate of between four and five weeks. But the wait is a little longer than some international orders, which are estimated to ship in two to three weeks.

The shipping improvement is only a week, but it’s a sign that Apple is beginning to catch up with strong demand it has faced since the iPad 2 first launched in the U.S. earlier this month. It’s also a good sign for the international launch, as there had been some concern that sales in 25 new countries would only exacerbate the problem.

The iPad 2 completely sold out at all retail outlets in the U.S. in its first weekend of availability, and stock has continued to trickle in over the following weeks. But there has also been concern about Apple’s stock going forward, following the earthquake disaster in Japan and its potential effect on iPad components.

Last week, a report from the Far East indicated that Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn had stockpiled enough components to continue to assemble iPad 2 units for at least another two to three weeks. It was said that if the situation in Japan did not improve, Apple could face a stockout of the iPad 2.

For now those concerns appear to be unfounded, as availability appears to be improving with quicker shipping estimates.

Stay tuned for additional details and if your iPad 2′s ship time appears to have improved, please let us know.

Xcode 4.0.1. Released

Apple has updated Xcode to version 4.1. Xcode of course is Apple’s tool for developers to build applications, and include Xcode IDE, Instruments, iOS Simulator, the latest Mac OS X and iOS SDKs.

Version 4.0.1 includes the following fixes:

Improved Assistant editor logic when switching among different file typesFixed a bug in “Install Xcode.app” that hangs at 99% complete, never finishingFixed a bug that prevented indexing of some projectsFixed a bug related to nil settings in the Core Data model editorFixed a bug that prevented automatic download of iOS documentationFixed a bug in LLVM GCC 4.2 and LLVM compiler 2.0 for iOS projectsAdditional bug fixes and stability improvements

You can download Xcode 4 via the Mac App Store via the link below, but a developer account is required to submit apps for Apple for review for sale in the Mac or iOS App Store.

Apple releases iOS 4.3.1 for iPhone, iPad

Apple has released iOS 4.3.1 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and as expected, it’s a bug fix release. So connect to iTunes, hit Check for Updates, and go get it!

Sorry, updating while in line for iPad 2! Yes, compatibility is the same adios 4.3 so no iPhone 3G, no Verizon iPhone. And if you’re jailbroken and want to stay that way, hold off on updating until there’s an iOS 4.3.1 jailbreak!

If you notice anything else, let us know!

Mac OS X Lion gold master candidate seeding soon?

Apple may be close enough to completing Mac OS X Lion that it’s seeding the first release candidates, tipsters said late Friday. GM1, or Gold Master rrelease candidate 1, is reportedly being deployed soon. TechCrunch’s source didn’t give a timetable, but there are usually only a few release candidates for most software developers before the final build is made public….

Mac OS 10.6.7 Brings Support for AMD Graphics Chipsets

A new discovery has been made in the new update of Mac OS X. Mac OS X 10.6.7 has been discovered to bring support for new AMD graphics cards. Apple has already made the transition to AMD/ATI graphics chips, however, these bring support for chipsets that are not in any Apple developed machine. The new discovery has many of the Hackintosh creators out there rubbing their hands as they are preparing to figure out new ways to build their own systems running Apple’s Mac OS X software. What the software also tells us is Apple’s plans for the next update of Mac products, such as future MacBooks, iMacs, and Mac Pros. Check out the line up of AMD GPUs thats supported.
ATI Radeon HD 5630 Device ID 0x68D8 ATI Radeon HD 5630 Device ID 0x68D9 ATI Radeon HD 5670 Device ID 0x68D8 ATI Radeon HD 5730 Device ID 0x68D8 ATI Radeon HD 5770 Device ID 0x68B8 ATI Radeon HD 5850 Device ID 0×6899 ATI Radeon HD 5870 Device ID 0×6898 AMD Radeon HD 6850 Device ID 0×6739 AMD Radeon HD 6870 Device ID 0×6738 AMD Radeon HD 6970 Device ID 0×6718

With this coming to light, Apple may be interested in support of-the-shelf chips in addition to their own chips that they have configured in Macs.

Macbook Air 13 vs Samsung 9 Series

Samsung 9 series netbook is targeted to compete with the Macbook Air 13 2010. After all, it is thinner and lighter than the Macbook Air. Samsung even claims that it has better battery runtimes than the Air. So, let us see if they are right or wrong. First, 9 series is just 0.02 pounds lighter which is marginally lighter and I would not call it a difference.

Secondly, Macbook Air’s thickest point is 0.68 inches but the thinnest point is unbelievably 0.11 inch in height! Respective numbers for the Samsung netbook are 0.64 and 0.64 inches. Also, Macbook Air 13 2010 model comes with a much more powerful GPU that allows you to play some nice games out there as well. I may sound like a total Mac fan, but all I am doing is telling the truth my visitors. Samsung 9-series has a shiny bezel made from plastic and thus acts as a fingerprint magnet. On the other hand, Macbook Air 13 has a metal bezel – in fact its whole body is made from aluminum.

Other than the aforementioned differences, it all comes to do this – if you are looking for an ultraportable Mac notebook, you have no choice but to go for either Macbook Air 11 or 13, depending on your needs. If you are a Windows user, there are plethora of options including the Vaio Z, Vaio Hybrid (Core i7, SSD, dock, Thunderbolt, powerful GPU, Blu ray etc) and of course, the new Samsung 9-series notebook.

Macbook Air Security Lock

Macbook Air does not comes with any sort of security lock. No need to worry as MacLocks has churned out a lock and a security bundle for it which features a cover that protects the Macbook Air through a built-in security slot that can be used to accommodate standard cable locks easily available in the market. This will allow you to lock the cable to the case and then look the other end of the cable around an object, such as a table.

After the cable and case are locked together, thieves would not be able to detach the case without damaging the notebook. Costs 75 dollars and is up for pre-order.

Macbook Pro 2011 Maximum RAM

So you just got yourself a new Macbook Pro 2011 powered by Core i5 / Core i7 processor and wondering what is the maximum amount of RAM your system can handle? Well, the good news is that the maximum amount of RAM (memory) your MBP can take is 16GB (DDR3). It is funny to note that Apple says that it can only go up to 8GB. However, that is not entirely true.

Now, where to buy one? The only one that I see is making them is OWC (Other World Computing) and they sell it for 1,600 dollars (no, that is not a mirage). You need to ask yourself – do I need this MUCH amount of RAM? I have seen scientists using more than that on their Mac Pro desktops. However, more RAM is a better thing (if it is a ‘thing’). On my Macbook Pro (with 4GB RAM), I do not go more than 3GB howsoever I push the system to use it. This is chiefly due to the fact I use it mainly for viewing YouTube and blogging. That said, my friend who has 6GB of RAM is always maxing out when doing video editing. [OWC product page]

Note – it is also compatible with iMac (Core i5, 2010 model).

Apple’s Developer Preview of Lion doesn’t work with brand new MacBook Pros

The first build of Lion’s much-publicised developer release has a few teething problems

News: Apple’s Developer Preview of Lion doesn’t work with brand new MacBook ProsPlenty has been written about the recent release of Mac OS X Lion’s developer preview, but it seems that a lot of developers have been complaining that it won’t install on the newest MacBook Pro models (the ones with Thunderbolt Ports). That, we have to admit, is a bit of a problem.

There have been a number of posts on the Apple Developer Forum discussing the issue, with many finding that the OS won’t install on their latest Sandy Bridge-powered behemoths. This means developers who have chosen a new laptop with which to build their apps currently have a few problems..

We’re sure this problem will be remedied with the next developer release, but until then it looks like there’ll be a number of frustrated developers trying to find a workaround.

Win an Etch a Sketch iPad case with Digital Artist

Comment on DigitalArtistDaily for a chance to win a fabulous prize

Win an Etch a Sketch iPad case with Digital ArtistOur sister magazine Digital Artist has teamed up with Late Late Gifts to offer a fantastic prize – a Headcase Etch A Sketch iPad case. To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is post a comment on the Digital Artist blog.

Entry is open to UK and US readers. The lucky winner will be drawn on 19th April 2011. Issue 18 of Digital Artist is out on 24th March 2011.