Thanks to Eban for this report.
A new offer is available on the US iTMS: the Multi-Pass. It has been launched in collaboration with TV channel comedy Central and it concerns 2 shows for the moment "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report" (from March 8th).
For 9$99, iTMS users can download the most recent episode and the next 15 to come or by them independently for 1$99 each (of course it is more expensive). The multi-Pass is not a time-period-fee system as stated by Eddy Cue, VP iTunes. Indeed, the downloaded files can be stored, played as many times as you want, and are in fact bought, not like other systems used by Napster or Rhapsody.
This offer is restricted to the US iTMS for the moment. For sure, Apple will need longer discussions, most of them country-specific, before such offers are extended to the rest of the world.
Anandtech has published an new article related to the IDF announcements. The Merom will sport larger amount of cache memory and should be compatible pin-to-pin with the current Yonah aka Core Duo. So it might be potentially possible to install in the future a Merom in a Core Duo-based Mac.
But there is still a question. Will the Merom be automatically recognized when installed in a Core Duo-based Mac, or will it require a EFI update? If so, Apple will for sure not release the required EFI update...
Hardware.fr has published tests of the latest nVidia graphic cards models.
The new flagship is the GeForce 7900 GTX. It is not based on a new technology since it uses the same architecture than the GF 7800; but it is now manufactured a new process including 90nm engraving; so clock speed can be increased and so the 7900GTX GPU runs at 650 MHz!
The new mid-range GPU market is now composed of the GF 7600GT replacing the GF6600.
Yesterday afternoon's end ended my long waiting. My MacBook Pro has come ! Thorough tests will come later. I'm kinda busy now and other sites have already published them anyway.
Here are a handful of first impressions though, on this machine which - putting CPU brand disputes aside - I took first and foremost as a Mac.
- When TNT delivers the box, you'd nearly wonder if there is anything missing. Powerbooks used to ship in a boxes twice as fat.
- Apart from the computer, the box is quite empty indeed and the manual comes in the shape of a CD.
- MagSafe is great and kicks away the feet-caught-in the-cable angst.
- Even at first boot, OSX is on VERY fast. So is the screen alight before the sonorous gong.
- There seems to be no defect whatsoever in the assembly. The fitting of this machine is perfect.
- When it's closed, it is as thick as the Powerbook 15". You have to open it to notice how thin the "computer" part is (the screen is a bit thicker).
- The screen's upper band in which the iSight has been nested is kind of an eyesore in this overall perfect design.
- As publicized by Appple, the display is very bright. Even more than that of the 30" Cinema Display. Even too bright when tuned at maximum brightness!
- The best surprise comes from Airport sensitivity, far beyond the Powerbook's one and probably close to the iBook's. Where a PowerBook "sees" 2 or 3 networks, this MacBook Pro could get at least ten.
To be continued...
