Apple

Where is the best place to buy a Mac?

Episode 923

Jeff from Phoenix, AZ

Jeff is interested the new 15" MacBook Pro Retina, but wants to know the best place to buy it. Leo says the Apple Store, hands down. The fact is the price isn't really that different from store to store and the Apple store is the best place for him to learn about what he's buying. Unless he's a student, he won't get a price break anywhere. So just go to the Apple Store and enjoy the experience.

First Impressions of iPad Mini

Episode 923

Leo picked up a black iPad Mini and he likes the size. He says that Apple chose the 4x3 aspect ratio, while competitors have chosen to go with 16x9 to better to accommodate video. The reason may be because it's the same aspect ratio as a sheet of paper which is better for reading books. Leo says he likes it better for that. Leo says he's probably going to take it on his trip instead of his regular sized iPad. There are a few negatives, however.

Can I use my Mac Mini to host a website?

David from Saint Louis, MO

Episode 922

The answer is yes and no. He can, but he needs to use DYNE DNS to port it first. Then he can host it. The biggest issue is going to be the bandwidth. Because he's serving, the key stat is going to be his upload speed. At 5 Mbps, if 100 people go to his site, it'll go down. Hosting his own email service could also violate his ISP's terms of service because of the potential for spam. If he has a good, "enlightened" ISP, they may offer him a static IP.

Should I port my application over to other platforms?

Alexander from Russia

Episode 922

Alex has written an app that helps with eye strain while using a computer, and is wondering if he should port it to other platforms. Leo says it depends on what the app was written in. Alex wrote it in C++. so Leo advises transitioning it to RT. For Apple, he could write in any language he wants, but he'd need to do it on a Mac. Objective C is good, native choice.

Are PCs being replaced by portable computers?

Episode 922

In what Steve Jobs referred to as the "post PC era," it seems like most of the latest product announcements have been mobile computers. The iPad Mini, the 4th Generation iPad, and even Microsoft's Surface RT (which Leo has now and is really liking it) are all examples of this. Even when Google announced the ChromeBook, did the tech world utter a collective yawn?

The post PC era may be here, but even Apple recognizes that the desktop isn't completely dead. Apple announced refreshed versions of the Mac Mini, 13" Macbook Pro with Retina screen, and a very gorgeous iMac.