Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • August '10 Product of the Month

    *13″ MacBook Pro*
    2.53GHz processor, 4GB RAM, 250GB hard drive

    This MacBook Pro has been recently discontinued and has closeout pricing! It has the standard one year Apple warranty and *is* eligible for the three year AppleCare Protection Plan.

    *$1179.99*

  • New Apple Products!

    Quick overview: Last Tuesday, Apple announced iMac and Mac Pro updates, the Magic Trackpad and more.

    There’s too much to list here, so “read all of the details on our blog, Barkings!”:http://blog.smalldog.com

  • AT&T is coming to Small Dog!

    We are very excited to announce that in the coming weeks we will be an authorized AT&T dealer, finally making us your one-stop shop for ALL your Apple accessories!

    Since the release of the iPhone, many of our customers have been stopping into our retail stores and calling into our phone sales department hoping their local Apple dealer can also set them up with a new iPhone. We were always disappointed to have to tell our loyal customers they would need to shop elsewhere for a favorite Apple accessory, but not anymore!

    We expect in the coming weeks to begin selling the iPhone and other AT&T accessories and devices. Please keep an eye on our website and local publications for upcoming information and an official announcement to when we will have service and phones available.

  • CinemaView 24in Display Overview

    Need more screen space and want a design that compliments your Mac without breaking the bank?

    The 24in CinemaView monitor with Mini DisplayPort could be the perfect solution for your needs. With the Mini DisplayPort connection, the CinemaView LCD monitor uses the same connection as your Mac–making it easy to connect and utilizes the stunning picture quality. (This is the first non-Apple Display to use this connection!)

    This monitor features the look of the Apple Display, but for hundreds less. It has a die cast aluminum base with a black rubberized composite housing cover that is reminiscent of Apple’s Display. The display senses when your Mac is turned on or wakes from sleep and turns itself on automatically. Perhaps more importantly, it also turns itself off when your Mac is switched off or goes into sleep mode.

    While the CinemaView display does not use a backlit LED like the Apple Display does, it offers impressive image quality with a cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio and also features four USB ports on the back.

    We have these monitors set up in both of our retail locations, so come in and take a look! It has become a staff favorite and one we know our customers will enjoy just as much as we do.

  • *It’s Mac to School Season!*

    August already! Didn’t summer just begin? It’s typical in Vermont that it seems like just weeks ago I was sitting at my desk and wondering when we would ever see warm summer weather. Shortly after, we found ourselves stuck in hot and humid temperatures that felt more like southern living than Vermont summer!

    With August here, I find myself once again wishing I had accomplished at least half of my summer plans and have started to pack my weekends full of summer activities in a last ditch effort to enjoy all that summer has to offer.

    A sure sign of the approaching fall are parents walking through our doors with papers of lists and specs in hand, while students look both excited and overwhelmed as they compare one Mac to the next. Many upcoming college freshman have already begun stopping into our retail stores, comparing prices and specials we have to offer and finalizing all the accessories they need to have a successful start to their college career. This can be a daunting task for many–balancing what you need verses what you REALLY want.

    That decision can leave many buyers stumped, but we can help! We have already put together bundles, specials and gift cards to help you weigh all of your options and put together packages that have all you technology needs. The biggest deal: **Get up to a $100 gift card when you purchase a new Mac and AppleCare (you can use it immediately, if you’d like–plus, it never expires!).**

    Our staff is knowledgeable and skilled at helping parents and students understand the differences from one computer to the next. We encourage anyone headed back to school this fall to stop into our stores and see what we have to offer or pre-shop our specials by clicking on the image below.

    We can make your back to school shopping convenient and stress-free!

    -Emily and the Waitsfield staff
    “emily@smalldog.com”:mailto:emily@smalldog.com

    !http://blog.smalldog.com/images/1826.jpg!:http://www.smalldog.com/mactoschool

  • I really am going to pick up my Norton this week and will leave pictures with Kali so that they can be in the next issue of Kibbles & Bytes.

    Here are my favorite iPhone and iPad apps for my upcoming trip:
    *iPhone 4:* Skype, MLB, iWant, Radar, Starbucks, Roadside and of course, DoodleJump.
    *iPad:* IM+, iBooks, skobbler, Helsing’s Fire, Desktop and Moto Minder.

    Let me know your favorites!

    Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
    _Don, Kali, Ed & Ben_

  • FEATURED SPECIAL | 07/30/10 – 08/08/10

    This week we wanted to bring to your attention some of the great prices we have on closeout “iMacs”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|iMac, “MacBooks”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|MacBook “13-inch MacBook Pros,”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|MacBook_Pro_13in “15-inch MacBook Pros”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|MacBook_Pro_15in and “17-inch MacBook Pros.”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|MacBook_Pro_17in

    With the introduction of the new iMacs, it’s now possible to save *$100 – $200* on brand-new, just discontinued iMacs. All of these qualify for our special offer where you get a *FREE $50 or $100 gift card* when you purchase any Mac with AppleCare.

    Likewise, we have some fantastic prices on closeout “13-inch MacBooks Pros”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|MacBook_Pro_13in where you can save up to $320 with closeout pricing and still qualify for the $50 or $100 free gift card.

    We have a couple of different closeout “15-inch MacBook Pros”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|MacBook_Pro_15in in stock. For example, we’re currently offering a brand-new, factory-sealed closeout model with a matte display instead of the glossy display. If you’re someone who really dislikes the glossy Apple display and you want a 15-inch display, consider this “model for $220 off original pricing.”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76560/macbook-pro-15in-2-53ghz-4gb-250gb-antiglare

  • Safari 5.0.1 Update: Extensions!

    Apple has released an update to its popular Safari browser. This update, which puts the browser at version 5.0.1, enables Safari Extensions for all users. Though included in the initial release of Safari 5, this feature was only made available to general users this morning. The newly enabled extensions add sophisticated new features to the browser including toolbars and web content filters.

    To help catalog third-party extensions, Apple has unveiled The Safari Extensions Gallery “here.”:http://extensions.apple.com/ Unlike other competing browsers, all Safari Extensions can be installed with a single click, and without restarting the browser. Currently about 100 different extensions populate different categories in the Extensions Gallery.

    Ranging from news, shopping, social networking, entertainment, and more, there are plenty of different extensions to try out. All are free to download, and can be easily managed by clicking *Safari > Preferences > Extensions.* So far, a few of my favorites are: 1-Click Weather for Safari, Twitter for Safari, and Rotten Tomatoes. Feel free to share your own finds.

    *Please Note:* The requirements for Safari 5 are either Mac OS 10.5+ or Windows XP SP3+

    *UPDATE:* “MacRumors”:http://www.macrumors.com/2010/07/28/safari-5-0-1-and-4-1-1-address-autofill-security-flaw/ has noted that Safari 5.0.1 addresses the autofill exploit which surfaced last week. The vulnerability is also patched in Safari 4.1.1. To read more about the autofill exploit, click “here.”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/safari-autofill-exploit-raises-privacy-concerns/

    There are a few more updates, but we have run out of space to mention them all. “Click here to view all of the new Apple updates on our blog, Barkings!”:http://blog.smalldog.com

  • Take It To the 12-Core Limit: New Mac Pros

    With virtually no fanfare (save for the persistent rumors), Apple announced new Mac Pros on Tuesday, much to the delight of creative professionals everywhere.

    The updated Mac Pro now features up to 12 processing cores and “up to 50% greater performance than the previous generation,” Apple states. The latest quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors can be found inside the new machines, giving them a long-awaited boost of power.

    The Mac Pros also include all-new ATI graphics and an option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (pricey, but worthwhile to have the choice, yes?). There are also options to upgrade the graphics to a pair of video cards or to go all out with a 1GB HD 5870 card as “Engadget”:http://www.engadget.com/ puts it, “if you’re keen on maxing out those frame rates.”

    The enclosure looks to be almost identical to the end-user, since Apple has found a way to make expansion easy and look incredibly sleek (though you might want to bulk up before you plan on moving it around). The hard drive bays are still located in the same section of the tower, and are expandable to 8TB (yep, terabytes), by the way.

    The Mac Pro has also expanded its display options. There are now two Mini DisplayPorts and one dual-link DVI port located on the back. The addition of the second Mini DisplayPort output allows customers to connect two LED Cinema Displays without an additional graphics card or adapter. The dual-link DVI port supports legacy DVI-based displays with a resolution up to 2560 x 1600 pixels. 

    Of course, Apple has continued to accelerate their environmental efforts as well. The Mac Pro is BFR-free (brominated flame retardant-free) and all internal cables are PVC-free. Again, the enclosure has stayed solid aluminum, which is highly recyclable. It is rated EPEAT Gold and standard configurations meet ENERGY STAR 5.0 requirements.*

    With all of these changes, the Mac Pro becomes the solid winner as a pro machine again, as the name should imply. The iMac kept coming so close in recent years that for the money, many people chose that instead. No more. The Mac Pro, with all of its expandability, power and connectivity features, is the Mac to choose for longevity and demanding professional work.

    *Quad-Core Mac Pro: from $2499.99*
    *8-Core Mac Pro: from $3299.99*

    12-Core Mac Pros look to start at $4999.99.

    “Click here to view all Mac Pros!”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|Mac_Pro

    __*Only Mac Pros configured with a Mac Pro RAID Card or Fibre Channel card do not meet ENERGY STAR and EPEAT requirements.__

  • Abracadabra: Apple Saws Lady in Half and Introduces Magic Trackpad!

    Do you enjoy using Multi-Touch gestures on your iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad to scroll, swipe, pinch, and zoom through photos, songs, documents and other content? Like the idea of a Multi-Touch trackpad for your desktop Mac, similar to the trackpad used on the MacBook and MacBook Pro? Do you enjoy the Magic Mouse but wish it supported more Multi-Touch gestures? Well, your moment has arrived in the form of the brand-new (and much rumored) Magic Trackpad.

    Introduced early Tuesday morning, the Magic Trackpad is the first Multi-Touch trackpad designed to work with your Mac desktop computer. It’s also the largest Multi-Touch trackpad ever, nearly 80 percent larger than the built-in trackpad on the MacBook Pro. Its large size provides plenty of room to perform gestures. Speaking of gestures, Magic Trackpad supports a full set of them, giving you a whole new way to control and interact with what’s on your screen. Swiping through pages online is reputed to feel just like flipping through pages in a book or magazine. Inertial scrolling makes moving up and down a page more natural than ever. Because the entire surface of Magic Trackpad is a button, you can click on objects just as you would using a traditional mouse.

    Magic Trackpad connects to your Mac via Bluetooth wireless technology, and can be used in place of a mouse or in conjunction with one. Go from typing to gesturing in one motion, or do both at the same time. Magic Trackpad sits at the same height and angle as the Apple Wireless Keyboard, so you can go from trackpad to keyboard in one seamless motion.

    I was at Macworld when Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007. I remember how people were already hoping that the then revolutionary Multi-Touch gestures would somehow make their way to notebook and desktop Macs. They day is now here. Not quite to the level of the iPhone–with on-screen gestures–but close.

    Magic Trackpad requires a Mac with Bluetooth wireless technology (most Macs shipping since 2005 have this), Mac OS X v10.6.4 or later, and Latest Magic Trackpad software update. It requires two AA batteries (included) to operate. Apple recommends using rechargeable AA batteries, and is actually now offering a Apple Battery Charger for this purpose. For more on that, “click here to read the info on the blog, Barkings!”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/new-apple-battery-charger/

  • iMacs Updated Tuesday

    This Tuesday, Apple released significant updates to the iMac line. Largely performance oriented, the update introduced Intel Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7, processors across the line. Previously reserved for the highest tiered 27-in iMac as well as CTO machines, the standard inclusion of “Core i” processors will undoubtedly give all of the machines a well deserved speed boost.

    The second most significant enhancement is the addition of discreet graphics to every iMac. While the base model 21.5-in machine previously relied on the integrated 9400M graphics card, all models have now been upgraded with dedicated ATI Radeon cards. At the base level, the 21.5-in machine includes the ATI Radeon HD 4670 with 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM. The mid-range 21.5-in and 27-in machines feature the Radeon HD 5670 with 512MB GDDR3, and the highest end 27-in features the blazing fast HD 5750 with a whopping *1GB of GDDR5 SDRAM!* These discreet cards have more than enough horsepower to drive the latest creative software and 3D games, and are optimized to deliver crisp and vivid HD video playback.

    Although more minor in stature, Apple has touched on many of the other components of the iMac as well. The LED backlit displays feature IPS technology to deliver an unprecedented viewing angle, and the SD card reader now supports the *SDXC* format which enables compatibility with the highest-capacity SD cards. Apple has also included the option for a secondary solid state drive in the 27-in machines. Users can select a *256GB SSD* as their primary drive, or they can supplement it with a high capacity SATA drive. Among the many benefits of a SSD are better reliability and faster startup/application launch times.

    Though all four standard configurations of the iMac still include Apple’s revolutionary Magic Mouse and Bluetooth Keyboard, for an additional $69 users can add on the brand new “Magic Trackpad.”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76695/apple-magic-trackpad/at_kb This new product brings the gesture based functionality that notebook Mac users have enjoyed since late 2008 to the desktop realm.

    While the new iMac models preserve the same design introduced in October of last year, their updated components bring a welcome refresh to the line. With dual-core and quad-core configurations available, the iMac continues to blur the lines in between a consumer and professional workstation. For those on the fence deciding if an iMac would meet their professional needs, today’s update makes the ultra stylish all-in-one a more viable solution than ever.

    “*iMac 21.5in 3.06GHz i3 – $1199.99*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76691/at_kb
    “*iMac 21.5in 3.20GHz i3 – $1499.99*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76692/at_kb
    “*iMac 27in 3.20GHz i3 – $1699.99*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76693/at_kb
    “*iMac 27in 2.8GHz i5 – $1999.99*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76694/at_kb

    “See all iMacs here!”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|iMac