SellYourMac Blog

Is the New MacBook Pro Worth Your Time (or Your Money)?

June 23, 2012

June is always an exciting time for Apple owners and fans alike. Why? Simple: it plays host to Apple's WWDC - the annual developers conference. Anticipation is always palpable, and the 2012 event was no different. Generally speaking, the event includes announcements of all-new Apple products - from iPhones to MacBooks - and the 2012 conference did not disappoint. Apple has once again changed the game with the release of the brand new MacBook Pro. But what does the new iteration offer, and more importantly, is it worth the $2000+ price tag?

 

Retina Display comes to the MacBook

There's no doubt that the biggest new feature of the MacBook Pro, and the one that's got everyone buzzing, is the new Retina Display. This 15-inch MacBook Pro is the first of the line to include such a screen. Previous iterations have had very high-res screens, but never high enough to meet Apple's own definition of 'retina' (around 300 pixels per inch). The resolution is now 2880x1800 pixels, making this laptop easily the one with the best screen on the market. To give you an idea of scale, that's about four times the number of pixels on an HDTV - so images and text will look phenomenal. Although it’s technically just Apple’s word for it, the term ‘retina’ means that the human eye cannot perceive individual pixels when viewing the screen at a normal usage distance. That means there should be no more pixelated images, text, or movies (depending on the media you’re viewing, of course).

A new form factor

The new MacBook has gotten a little slimmer and a touch lighter too. The 15-inch Retina Display model is now just 0.71 inches thick and weighs in at around 4.4 pounds. For those who've used a MacBook Pro in the past, that represents a difference of around 10% - which would be quite noticeable for previous owners. The reason for this loss of weight and thickness? Apple has chosen to remove the optical drive completely. That means no more burning CDs or watching DVDs. Whether this is a good or bad move on Apple's part remains to be seen. The actual shape and finish of the MacBook are almost identical to always, except that now many of the parts are proprietary, meaning that repairs could be tricky down the line.

New on the inside

It's not just the outside that's got an overhaul. The new 15-inch model has a 2.3GhZ quad core processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. While the latter may seem a little on the low side, there are models available with faster processors, more storage and more RAM. But of course, you'll have to pay a premium if you want these features right off the bat. Apple has also improved the fans inside the MacBook Pro, such that they're now almost whisper quiet. They've changed the position of the fan blades so that they're asymmetric, which apparently alters the frequency and lowers noise levels. The vents are carefully positioned around the sides of the laptop and induct cool air to keep the machine working at top efficiency regardless of the weather. The battery life of the new MacBook Pro is also apparently improved, with Apple touting seven hours of use from a full charge - again, a very impressive stat if it translates to the real world.

The verdict

So should you shell out for a brand new MacBook Pro from the 2012 line? Well, that all depends on your budget. On the one hand, if you’re willing to spend over $2000 (or £1500) on a brand new laptop, then you’ll be getting a world class machine that, at present, no other laptop can match. Just be sure to arrange an insurance policy to cover it! If you’ve already got iPhone 4S insurance, for example, you could likely add your new MacBook to the same policy.

If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one of the new MacBook Pro models, don’t forget that these types of laptop retain a lot of value (like most Apple products, for that matter). That means that if the day comes that you think you’ve had enough of your new MacBook Pro – or you need to cash in your current Mac – you’ll be able to sell your laptop here on SellYourMac.com, and you’ll get a great price for it too. In the meantime, though, enjoy Apple’s latest addition – it really is a thing of beauty.

 

Facebook Timeline - Best Practices for Your Brand by SellYourMac.com

March 25, 2012

Facebook's recent Timeline annoucement provides new features for brands to maximize their message and presence to their current and future Fans.

 

Businesses and brands will need to adapt their Fan pages to the new Timeline format before the final deadline of March 30th.

 

Start getting ready now to ensure a seemless transfer to the new Timeline.  You will need new creative assets including Cover Photo, Profile Image, Tab Images, and About Section.  Here is how to optimize your creative assets for your brand:

 

Cover Photo:

Maximum size: 851 x 315 pixels.  Once uploaded, this photo can be repositied and resized to ensure the best fit.  Make sure the cover photo is a good representation of your brand as it occupies the most real estate on your Timeline.  You can change this Cover Photo periodically to highlight events, campaigns, or milestones for your brand.  Note:  Cover Photo may NOT include any price or purchase information, contact info, "Like" or "Share" arrows or references, or calls to action such as "Get it now."

Some cover ideas include:

• Photo of your retail store or office
• Customer photos using your products or services
• Historic or milestone photo
• Company logo
• Photos of favorite menu items for restaurants, bars, spas, or salons
• “Before” and “After” photos for contractors, salons, or decorators
• Company staff and/or company founder
• Mosaic of Fan photo
• Photo montage of your brand

 

Profile Image:

Maximum size: 180 x 180 pixels.  This photo should be your brand's identity or logo.  Choose this photo wisely as it should always remain the same.

 

Tab Images:

Maximum size: 111 x 74 pixels.  Maximum of four tabs visible at the top, with a dropdown to create a maxiumum of twelve tabs total.  Choose to configure these tabs with your Facebook apps.  The only tab that is NOT customizable is the Photos tab, which you should to add to if you don't have many photos.  You can cycle apps around to different Tab sections at any time.  Choose tab images and names to clearly indicate to users the content of the tab.

Some tab ideas include:

• Blog
• Custom welcome screen
• Videos
• Coupon
• Number of Fans
• Map
• Promotion

 

About Section:

Maximum size: 150 characters.  Describe your brand in about 15-25 words and give your visitors a reason to take an interest in your brand.

Some about ideas include:

• Company mission statement
• Company description
• Website URL
• Company address
• Tagline
• Contact information

 

Once you have your creative assets set on your Timeline, you will need keep up with your Timeline through Milestones, Pin Posts, Stars, and Direct Messages.  Here is what you need to know about each:

 

Milestones:

Tell your brand's story and history through Milestones.

Some milestone ideas include:

• Major events
• Major annoucements
• Store openings
• Founding date
• Historic dates
• Name or brand changes
• Original logo
• New product

 

Pin Posts:

By "pinning" a post, it will appear at the top of your Timeline for up to seven days.  You can repin a post at any time.  Use this feature to highlight posts that you want your audience to see first.

Some pin post ideas include:

• Promotions
• Contests
• Blog post
• Weekly offers

 

Stars:

By "starring" a post, it will expand to widescreen view, the entire width of your Timeline.  Use this feature to highlight posts that you want to stand out, but not directly at the top like the "pin posts."

Some star ideas include:

• Important events
• Company information
• Blog post
• Anything you want to stand out

Direct Messages:

Your audience now how the ability to send Direct Messages, unless you decide to turn this feature off.  You should use Direct Messages as a chance to provide direct customer service to your Fans.  Make sure to respond timely to these private messages to ensure the best user experience.  Note: you can NOT directly contact a user until they contact you, and you can only respond up to two times.

 

Now you are better equipped to create the best user experience on your Facebook Timeline.  Time to get started, you have until March 30th to make the switch!

Get Top Dollar When Selling Your Used Apple iPad and Upgrading to the New iPad

March 07, 2012

Here at SellYourMac.com we purchase used Apple iPads, iPhones, iPods, and of course, Macs.  We are here to help with your transition to the "new iPad."  Apple just announced the new iPad 3rd Generation with a hi-res Retina display (better than 1080P HD!), 5MP camera, and super fast 4G LTE available.

 

Checkout the videos of the new iPad here: http://www.apple.com/

Reserve your new iPad here: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad

 

If you are going to be upgrading to the new iPad, we will purchase your used one for top dollar.  Get a free, instant quote on your used iPad at our website here: http://bit.ly/sellipad

If you include this promo code "fbfan" you will receive a $10 bonus!

Please become a Fan of our Facebook Page for future deals and prizes here: http://www.facebook.com/sellyourmac

SellYourMac.com heads to Macworld iWorld 2012

January 25, 2012

Amazing opportunity to be front row at the world’s ultimate expo for Apple fans.

 

CINCINNATI – January 25, 2012 – The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The reCommerce company SellYourMac.com, comprised of a team of Apple enthusiasts, announced today their participation in Macworld | iWorld 2012.

 

Macworld | iWorld is the latest name given to the annual Macworld Expo, the world’s ultimate gathering of fans who use, create and love Apple products.  The event promises to wow attendees with new and improved exhibit floors, exhibitors, Tech Talks, training sessions, live musical and art performances.

 

SellYourMac.com will solidify its place among well-know exhibitors by occupying an 200 sq. ft. booth, their largest booth to date. The booth will feature the top talent from the SellYourMac team that works tirelessly to provide customers an outstanding experience, an interactive Photo Booth for attendees filled with Apple-themed props, and, of course, prizes and giveaways. Previous attendees may recall SellYourMac.com’s iPhone Man costume featured during last year’s Expo.

 

“This year SellYourMac is going huge! We will be featuring our world-class team and an interactive Photo Booth dedicated to our awesome fans,” shares Brian Burke, SellYourMac.com’s Owner and CEO.

 

Paul Kent, Vice President and General Manager of the Expo, describes the event as “spectacular” and as a not to be missed “dynamic cultural experience”. Macworld | iWorld will take place from January 26-28, 2012 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.

 

About SellYourMac.com

SellYourMac.com is a leading reCommerce company that specializes in the buying and selling of used Apple products. With an A+ rating from the US Better Business Bureau and as a Top-Rated eBay PowerSeller since 2000, SellYourMac.com has received excellent feedback from thousands of satisfied consumers. Family-owned and based in Cincinnati, Ohio, SellYourMac.com provides top-notch service to individuals, students, families, and businesses alike.  SellYourMac.com provides a safe and reliable way for consumers to sell and recycle used Apple products, helping them fund upgrades to newer Apple products. For more info go to:

 

Website: http://www.sellyourmac.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sellyourmac

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/iSellMac

 

Contact

Brian Burke

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

Photo Booth Tips

December 21, 2011

According to an article by Lex Friedman of Macworld, many of the default settings on Photo Booth are actually editable and can be switched on and off. The initial shortcut to take a photograph in Photo Booth is "Command + T"

The first tip concerns the flash that is default on all Photo Booth photographs, often making every photograph have a blue tint to it. If you want to turn off the flash entirely, under the Camera dropdown menu, there is a setting that is automatically selected called "Enable Screen Flash". Uncheck the box on this to toggle the function on and off. If you are looking for a way to toggle it without having to change your preference on every single photograph, you can hold down the "Shift" key as you are taking the photo. It will remove the flash on the individual photo. 

A second tip is about the mandatory three-second delay between you clicking the button to take the picture, and the countdown to the photo itself. Once the countdown stops, you can cancel it by hitting "Escape" This feature is supposed to provide you with time to check yourself in the screen and adjust, but for those who already know what they want in their photo, by pressing and holding down "Option" as you click on the icon to take the photograph instantaneously. Instead of seeing the three second countdown, it should immediately take the photograph. 

These tips stack on top of the "Command + T" So in order to remove the flash and take a photo instantly, it would be "Command + Shift + Option + T". 

Get Bejeweled on iPhone for free!

December 20, 2011

According to the iDownload Blog, and confirmed by our tests here at SellYourMac.com, liking the "App Store" on Facebook will grant you one free download to the normally $0.99 game Bejeweled, which can be redeemed immediately on the App Store and synced over to your iPhone. Apple has given away downloads to their fans before, and the trend will probably continue. We will keep you updated on other free giveaways from Apple. 

A New AppleTV?

December 19, 2011

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is working on developing it's own television that would focus on wireless streaming. This would allow Apple to continue syncing with the iTunes Store as it does now with the Apple TV, and would also allow it to recognize user's iPhones, iPads and other devices, and to recognize content on all of these outlets. Furthermore, one possible idea being tossed around is the ability to first watch the program on the television, and then to be able to continue watching the video on the move, on another device.

The goal of this area of development is to produce a TV that is "easier to use and more personalized". The technology that would be used to stream this video would be similar to the AirPlay option that is currently on iOS devices. Some reports, such as the WSJ, discuss the possibility of having all of the data synced over the iCloud.

This isn't to say, however, that Apple is the only company attempting to revolutionize the TV set. Google is competing on another possible frontier with Apple (They're also competing on the human-integration aspect of the smartphone). Additionally, Microsoft, the company behind the Xbox line of console entertainment is already somewhat involved in the TV market with their Xbox Live Subscription service, which has deals with ESPN, Time Warner Cable, and other providers to provide exclusive content.

These developments have been irking TV executives for years, as the numbers of viewers watching live television has declined significantly over the past 5 years with the advent of the DVR and the popularity of streaming services such as Netflix and additionally the ease of illegal streams of shows have less and less people watching live television.

However, referring to comments made by Steve Jobs himself, he has little interest in expanding into television because the margins are not as high and TV's are not replaced as often as other electronic devices. That being said, this wouldn't be the first time Apple held a project close to the chest until it was done.

Apple App Deadline Approaching!

December 19, 2011

It's getting near that time for App Developers…not only the holiday season, but the annual Apple submission shutdown period. Apple doesn't announce a hard-date by which submissions must be sent in by, but the date is surely in the coming week. Any submissions to the Apple App Store  (which was recently estimated to be worth more money than the entire company of Blackberry by some estimates) must be done shortly, as if they are not received before the deadline they will not be processed until the new year, resulting in one of the best times of the year to have a new application out, with the coming holiday rush.

We over at SellYourMac.com have already gotten our holiday submissions in order, and have a brand new holiday pack of cards for 2011 for our iCard Pro app.

Integrating people with phones?

December 19, 2011

According to the New York Times Bits Blog, Apple is investing research in the concept of wearable computers in the form of smart phones. The thinking is that since many people already use their smartphones as alarm clocks, calendars, and a mobile media hub for all internet activities, why not integrate it with people themselves.

Consider how often your smart phone is in the immediate area. While you sleep it might be by your bed or charging. While you're at work, the phone is in your pocket. While you eat lunch, sit stuck in traffic, or sometimes just need to connect to the internet, the smart phone is ready and able.

According to the Times report, both Apple and Google are funding research so integrate the smart phone into something attachable to your own body. This might be something that can stick to your clothing, or as one possible prototype proposes, a glass watch that is wearable on the user's wrist and can fulfill commands using the Siri technology.

Futurist Michael Liebhold believes this technology will eventually lead to a full integration between person and computer. He envisions screens being attached to glasses and contact lenses, thus allowing individual users to customize their appearances for each and every single person. In any event, this avenue of research can certainly lead to the frontier of the next great technological innovation, and it appears, again, that Apple is set to be a part of this revolution.

Setting up and switching to Night-Mode

December 16, 2011

Is the brightness of a white background bothering you when using your iPhone at night? Besides adjusting the brightness, there is also something else you can do to reduce the amount of light hitting your eyes. By switching to white on black, the color scheme is inverted. Everything white becomes black, black becomes white, orange becomes teal, and all the colors get mirrored. While not the most effective tool when looking at photographs or browsing Facebook, this is useful when using messages as the colors are not as abrasive on the eye. 

In order to do this, you first go into Settings:

Select General, under Settings. Then select Accessability.

Scroll to the bottom of the Accessibility screen and select "Triple-click Home". From here, click on "Toggle White on Black".  

Now your phone is ready to switch quickly over to the reverse color scheme anytime you press the home button three times quickly. Enjoy!