Retina Display: A Double-edged Sword

After spending a week or so with my new iPad, I'm beginning to notice a disturbing trend. With the exception of my iPhone 4S, ALL the rest of my Mac gear looks fuzzy. I'm writing this post on my 27" iMac. Until purchasing the new iPad, I believed it would be impossible to beat this desktop machine's beautiful display, with its 2560 X 1440 screen res. Poppycock! (Did I just say that? I meant...BULLSHIT!) Don't get me wrong. I've still not seen any desktop monitor that will compare favoribly to my iMac, but the new iPad makes it look second rate. While I was once quite content working in front of this 27" beauty, I now find myself wanting more. To acheive the same level of clarity as my new iPad, this iMac would need to operate at a resolution of 6220 X 3500. That's almost two and a half times (2.43) it's current capability! To be as clear as an iPhone 4 or 4S that multiplier goes up to 3.0 or a screen resolution of 7680 X 4320!
Now there's talk of a new 15" Macbook Pro built thin and light like an Air. If you believe that rumor, you might buy into the other rumor that says it will be equipped with its own retina display. If that's the case, it will have a screen resolution somewhere around 3450 X 2156 (assuming Apple replicates the new iPad's pixel density of 264 pixels per inch). If (and this is a very big if) this turns out to be true, then sign me up. It will make Apple's current best laptop screen (the 17" MBP with its PPI of 133) look like a Commodore 64 by comparison.
This is just one more example of Apple setting the bar for the whole industry. Super high-end screens started in 2010 with the release of the iPhone 4. It's retina display was (and arguably still is) far better than any smartphone on the market. Improving the iPad's display was such an obvious next step that every rumor monger from here to China predicted it. Some even thought it would happen on the iPad 2. Following this logic (I use the term loosely), some model of MacBook has to be next, right? I know, I'm speculating based on nothing. Well, lots of sites do that type of thing for a living. Why should they have all the fun?
Back to Apple as a standard-bearer. The entire PC industry is tripping over itself trying to make portable machines (ultrabooks?) that will match up favorably with the MacBook Air. Some are doing a respectable job of it even though they are hampered by Windows. Now, just when they think they've got a good Air competitor, Apple will release this new rumored portable and leave them all in the dust. Again.
It will be fun to watch. The only problem is, they'll be lapping all of us Mac owners as well, triggering a sudden onslaught of techno-lust that motivates us to run up credit card balances in the Apple store whether we need to or not. I resisted the temptation to get an iPad 2 last year. The step up from my original device just wasn't tall enough to justify the expense. This third generation device with all it's retina display goodness was a no-brainer though. I just wish it didn't make me feel like throwing rocks at all my other Mac displays.

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Podcast #36 is Up. "Flashback Protection 101"

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MacTexan Podcast #36

How to Ward Off Flashback and Its Cousins

I've been getting a lot of questions from friends and neighbors about Flashback and its derivitives. Since these bugs made the mainstream media, even the most non-techie Mac user is getting the jitters. I planned to write a comprehensive how-to to help these folks avoid all these Java-based bugs, but while doing my research I ran across this article by Cory Bohon at Mac|Life that sums it up completely. I could have plagerized his article, but I'm too ethical (er, uh, lazy) for that. To get a complete step-by-step for protecting your Mac from Flashback and other Java-based vermine, check out Cory's article. Nice job, Mr. Bohon.

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Free Cloud Storage from M$!!!!

Sometimes the greatest gifts come from the most unlikely places. Microsoft is offering 7 gigs of free cloud storage by simply signing up for SkyDrive with a new or existing WindowsLive ID. If you already have a WindowsLive ID, they will upgrade you to 25 gigs...FOR FREE! In a world where there's never enough storage, free is an excellent price. I've just signed up using my existing ID and upgraded to 25 gigs, so I can't testify to how well SkyDrive works just yet. I just wanted to let everyone know about it because Microsoft isn't saying how long this freebie will last.

So far, I've installed it on my Macs and one Windows machine. In both cases, a SkyDrive folder is added to your home folder. Anything you put in it gets copied to the cloud and to any other machines you have SkyDrive installed. Also, from your SkyDrive home page, Microsoft has added links to create OfficeLive docs. This can be really handy if you've never laid down the $150 for Office 2011. Everything works through a secure link, so Microsoft is at least trying to put on a secure face. So far, so good. Back later with more details...

Protect Your Mac From Flashback...FOR FREE!

If you pay any attention to tech journalism at all then you've heard of the most prolific trojan to hit the Mac platform in years: Flashback. At first, it tricked users into "upgrading" their Adobe Flash player by presenting a realistic looking dialog complete with Adobe logo and color scheme. Now it has morphed and a Mac can be infected by simply visiting a malicious Web site with some sneaky Java code. To see if you may be hosting this bug, you can download the free app Flashback Checker. The good news is, you can protect yourself by using OpenDNS. Get the low-down here. The big OpenDNS button at the top of this post will tell you if you already use OpenDNS. If you don't, click the button to learn how to install the free service on your computer or router (or both). In the immortal words of John "Bluto" Blutarsky, "Why not? It don't cost nuthin'."