Computer / Software

As weeks go, the first couple in January were pretty good for new Mac hardware, with Apple introducing updated Mac Pros and Xserves, along with a new stunningly thin MacBook. We dissect the potential of Apple's new offerings with a musician-shaped scalpel.

With Apple opening a new retail store in Exeter, and speculation as to when new Mac Pros might be released to take advantage of Intel's latest Penryn technology, welcome to the first (and possibly last) West Country-themed Apple Notes.

Leopard is finally with us — but while it promises improvements for general Mac users, will it offer anything to musicians and audio engineers other than incompatibility?

GarageBand is perhaps the most successful entry-level music software ever created, and this month we take a closer look at the latest version supplied with iLife '08.

Apple renewed their commitment to music this month, both for those who listen to it and those who create it. We examine the latest developments, and take a more detailed look at the new iMac, which could offer enough power to be considered more than just an entry-level machine.

A recent Apple special event saw the launch of a new iMac, a new version of GarageBand and a new iWork suite — plus a new Mac Mini is waiting in the wings. Read on for more...

Apple's 17-inch Macbook Pro has both attracted and put off potential purchasers because of its size. But, with a new higher-resolution display and the latest mobile technology, is it now a must for those seeking the best in laptop performance?

Widgets are everywhere, from the new iPhone to Macs running OS X Tiger. But while the iPhone is picky about the Widgets it will run, your Mac is open to a world of musically-related Widget curiosities...

Apple CEO Steve Jobs outlined many visually interesting features this month for the next major version of OS X. However, it's perhaps the features that lurk beneath Leopard's glossy exterior that will prove the most useful to Mac-based musicians and audio engineers.

Installing a MIDI interface to work with your Mac should be an easy task, but what happens if it doesn't want to play ball? Apple Notes is here to help.

Despite a slow start to the year with regard to Mac-related news from Apple, there's been no shortage of Mac hardware and software announcements recently.

This month we take a look at Apple's Xserve as a platform for music and audio production, and continue creating a custom music-controlled 'visualisation' with Quartz Composer.

While Mac users continue to wait in anticipation for new Mac hardware and software, we explore a really neat application you might not realise you even own, which lets you create your own MIDI- and audio-based visual performances.

With little new from Apple for musicians and audio engineers at the recent Macworld and NAMM shows, announcements from other manufacturers will allow Macbook Pro owners to take advantage of more sophisticated audio and DSP hardware while on the road.

We take another look at running Windows on Intel Macs and consider how Apple's latest acquisition will affect their professional video and audio software.

We take the opportunity of a New Year issue to look back at the 12 months that saw Apple's transition to Intel processors, and to welcome in the new Core 2 Duo-based MacBook Pros and Xeon-based Xserves.

With the new Mac Pro offering increased internal data storage, we investigate whether using the software RAID functionality built into OS X has any benefits for audio applications.

With 64-bit quad-core processing in every model and the ability to run both Mac OS X and Windows, is the Mac Pro the computer all musicians have been waiting for?

The new high-end and mid-range iMacs look interesting for musicians, offering Core 2 Duo processors and rather attractive prices. Apple Notes takes a look at the spec.

It was all happening at this year's Apple Developer Conference, where an Intel-based Power Mac replacement and a new Xserve were showcased and Apple Notes was in the audience for the first demonstration of Tiger's spotty successor, Leopard...

As the Mac world looks forward to news of what's in store for the next major version of Mac OS X, we take a look back on an interesting technology, introduced in the last major version, whose audio-processing potential has so far been overlooked.