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Upgrade your iMac to 32GB RAM, MacBook Pro to 16GB RAM inexpensively

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Hot Deals, PC / Laptop

iMac 32GB Upgrade KomputerBay

I make the Macs we use at Gear Live work pretty hard, and am always looking to squeeze out any extra performance that I can. I've used SSD drives for about three years now, long before they were as available and affordable as they are today, even in a Mac Pro. I recently downgraded from a 2009 Mac Pro to the 2011 iMac, and had to make a few concessions as it related to a bunch of things. I mean, the Pro was a beast with an SSD, 3 HDD drives, 16 GB RAM, 3 video cards, etc. Going from that to an iMac gave me some concern. Using the iMac, though, had been fine, with the exception of slowdowns once the computer was out of RAM. Even matching it with the 16GB RAM that was in the Mac Pro wasn't enough for what we do. Granted, right now I've got about 15 tabs open in Chrome and over 40 tabs open in Safari, while iMovie is exporting a 1080p video episode of Bleeding Edge TV, with 20 apps running in the dock. I may be an edge case, but I deserve a speedy computing experience just as much as the next guy! I recently maxed out the RAM in the iMac to a ridiculous 32GB, and now things are flying.

I took a chance on an unknown (to me) brand called KomputerBay that I found on Amazon, and they sell 8GB RAM modules in sets of two (so 16GB total) for less than I've seen anywhere else, by a substantial margin. After installing, performane was markedly improved, and I have yet to experience any of those "out of RAM" slowdowns that plagued me before. Not bad for inexpensive RAM. If you've got a 2011 iMac, your system has four RAM slots and can support up to 32GB RAM. Alternatively, if you're running a recent MacBook Pro, you have two slots and can bump it up to 16GB using these modules. Each 16GB set currently costs $139.


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Just got a new Apple device? Get AppleCare!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Cell Phones, Handhelds, Hot Deals, PC / Laptop

AppleCareWe know a ton of you got some new  gear over the past few days, and we want to make sure you protect those items appropriately. Whether it's a new iPad 2, iPhone 4, MacBook Air, or even an old-school iPhone 3GS, we thought it would be prudent of us to recommend you get AppleCare for the devices you’ve acquired. Here’s the trick though—don’t buy AppleCare from Apple. If you buy it from Amazon, you can get up to 30% off of the price that Apple will charge you for the same 3-year warranty. Even better, when you go to resell your Apple hardware, if you have an AppleCare Protection Plan attached to it, you get a higher resale value. We’ve compiled a list of the different AppleCare Protection Plans available for the entire line of Apple hardware, check it out:

Apple Mobile Devices:

Apple Mac Computers:


Bleeding Edge TV 406: Twelve South PlugBug review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Accessories, Apple, Features, Handhelds, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Videocasts, Videos

We review the Twelve South PlugBug in this episode. The PlugBug is a clever device that attaches to your MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air AC adapter, and allows you to charge both your Apple notebook, as well as a USB device (like your iPhone or iPad.) It's a neat little device that we think makes things super convenient, especially during travel, and it's one of those things that we wish we would have thought of first. We give you a look at the device, along with how it works, in this video.

Big thank you to GoToMeeting and JackThreads for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out! As for JackThreads, we've got exclusive invite codes that give you $5 to use towards anything you'd like.


Black Friday 2011: Apple

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Handhelds, Hot Deals, Music, PC / Laptop

Apple Black Friday 2011

Apple is set to discount some of its most popular products for Black Friday 2011. No word yet on if the stores are opening early, but you can get all the deals online as well as in-store, which is nice. Discounts on items like the iPad 2, iMac, MacBook Air, and iPod touch are just the tip of the iceberg, as Apple is also discounting a bunch of third-party accessories, including the Jawbone Up. We've got the best of the sale listed after the break, along with links to take you directly to the products!

Click to continue reading Black Friday 2011: Apple


2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Twelve South PlugBug

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, USB, Apple, PC / Laptop, Techies, Under $100, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500

Twelve South PlugBug

The next featured gadget in our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide is the Twelve South PlugBug. It's a device that's so simple that it's hard to believe no one has come up with this until now. The PlugBug snaps onto your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air wall charger, giving you a powered USB port in the process. The results? You can then charge both your Apple notebook, and a USB device (like an iPhone or iPad) at the same time, using just one outlet. Genuis! This means that when you're on the go, you can carry one less charger, and you'll have one less outlet to try and find. You can get the PlugBug on Amazon for $34.

Read More | PlugBug

Black Friday 2011: Best Buy

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Cameras, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Hot Deals, Household, Movies, PC / Laptop, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games

Best Buy Black Friday 2011 ad

Details of Best Buy's Black Friday 2011 sales have just been released, and we've got a list of all the highlights you can expect to see after the break. Doors will open right at midnight on October 25th, and tickets for the doorbusters will be handed out as early as 10:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day. Click through for a look at the goods.

Click to continue reading Black Friday 2011: Best Buy


Apple releases updated MacBook Pro (late 2011) models

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop

MacBook Pro late 2011

This morning Apple released refreshed models of the MacBook Pro. Pricing remains the same across the line, but they bring faster CPU and GPU options. For example, the 13-inch model now has a 2.4 GHz Core i5 and 2.8 GHz Core i7 option, and the hard drive got bumped up to 500 GB standard. The 15- and 17-inch models have access to a faster AMD Radeon HD 6770M discrete GPU, and the 15-inch can also be topped out with a quad-core 2.4 GHz Core i7. Definitely a nice refresh for those who were waiting, but nothing to get super excited over if you've already own the early 2011 model. The new MacBook Pro is available now.

Read More | MacBook Pro product page

Bleeding Edge TV 395: Apple Thunderbolt Display review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Apple, Features, Peripherals, Podcasts, Product Reviews, Videocasts, Videos

We give you a look at Apple's new Thunderbolt Display in this episode. The Thunderbolt Display allows you to connect a host of peripherals to it, and then run them all to your MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, or Mac mini using a single Thunderbolt cable. We show all the Thunderbolt I/O inputs and explain how the monitor works in this episode. You can pick up the Thunderbolt Display for $999 from Apple.

Big thank you to GoToMeeting and JackThreads for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out! As for JackThreads, we've got exclusive invite codes that give you $5 to use towards anything you'd like.


Top 10 Tech Deals of the Day

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Displays, HDTV, Hot Deals, PC / Laptop, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games

macbook pro sale

We've got your latest list of items that fall under the best tech Deals of the Day for you, separated out into laptops, desktops, monitors, gaming, and home entertainment. The laptop deals are right here, but be sure to click through to get a look at all the rest of what we determined to be today's top 10 deals in tech, including that 15-inch MacBook Pro up there!

Laptops

Don’t forget, if you’re looking for other deals, be sure to check out our Newegg Promo Code thread. Oh, and if you're on Twitter, be sure to follow @TechPromos for the latest deals, or you can Like TechPromos on Facebook.

Click to continue reading Top 10 Tech Deals of the Day


Apple putting final touches on super thin 15-inch MacBook

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Rumors

15-inch thin macbook

MacRumors is reporting that Apple is in late stage testing of a new ultra-thin 15-inch Macbook. It's unsure if this'll be a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, but if the release of the new Mac mini is any indication, we wouldn't be surprised to see the MacBook Pro line do away with the optical drive. It makes sense that Apple would take design cues from the MacBook Air and bring them over to the Pro line, and adding SSD into the more powerful MacBook Pro would make that thing fly. Apple did just refresh the MacBook Pro back in February, so we wouldn't expect to see these new notebooks until 4th quarter of this year.


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