The Professional Sleeve covers your MacBook with a black nylon fabric. The zippered sleeve closes to hold your computer and a pocket on the side holds all of your accessories. This sleeve will fit best for people who carry their computer around by itself on occasion but also throw it into another backpack or larger computer bag for protection.

The Vintage Sleeve goes retro with a khaki heavy-weight waxed canvas material accented in brown leather. The case closes with a snap down flap to cover the computer. The pull-tab makes it easy to retrieve from a backpack or bag. You can also carry it around from the looped tab. You’re not going to put a lot of extra accessories inside, so this fits best for this who just carry their computer around by itself.

The Sport Sleeve fits snugly with a slim zippered case offering extreme protection. The interior foam lining keeps your computer safe from short drops and dings or from jostling about as you move around. The black case with textured orange accents looks pretty cool. Like the Vintage Sleeve, it doesn’t have room for extras.

You could carry your MacBook Air or Pro in one of these cases by itself or as added protection in a regular backpack or brief case.

You will be able to get these three new sleeve cases for your MacBook sometime during the Spring of 2012. XtremeMac hasn’t named the price yet.

XtremeMac makes some nice Apple product accessories for the iPad and iPhone too.

XtremeMac Introduces 3 New Cases for MacBook Air and Pro is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The new Hitachi powered G-RAID and G-DRIVE external hard drives with Thunderbolt connectivity are aimed at answering this need with a combination of offerings up to 4TB of external storage with a Thunderbolt connection.

G-Technology drives from Toshiba are powered by the 1TB Travelstar 5K1000 and the 4TB Deskstar 7K4000 drives which are packaged into a portable enclosure with a Thunderbolt port and designed to work with Mac products like the MacBook Pro and Mac Pro and MacBook Air.

The drives are ready to go with Macs out of the box, including Time Machine support, and can be used on Windows machines with a short setup process.

The G-RAID is now available with Thunderbolt connectivity.

The new G-RAID and G-DRIVE external hard drive enclosures are similar to the previous models, but thanks to the Thunderbolt connection, Mac users can enjoy much faster file transfers. If you have other ports, don’t worry, you’ll find a full complement of ports including  3Gbit eSATA, FireWire 800 (FireWire 400 via included cable) and USB2.0 ports.

Hitachi shares the following descriptions of the new drives for professional creatives.

G-RAID – The G-Technology G-RAID is a blazing fast, dual drive RAID 0 storage solution with capacities up to 8TB. Ideal for professional content creators, it supports simultaneous playback of multiple layers of HDV, DVCPRO HD, XDCAM HD and ProRes 422 HQ with the leading video editing applications including Final Cut Pro™, Adobe® Premiere® and many more. The G-RAID solution is capable of delivering up to 200 MB/second transfer rate when connected to any Mac or PC via eSATA. Its soft-touch On/Off switch and thermo-regulated “smart” fan keeps the G-RAID reliable, cool and quiet in the editing suite.

G-DRIVE – The G-Technology G-DRIVE is a professional strength external hard drive in a single-drive desktop solution. With capacities now up to 4TB, G-DRIVE is the perfect high-performance solution for storage intensive applications including A/V editing, digital photography, music libraries, and high-speed data backup. The drive features a fan-less cooling system for a quiet operation. The 4TB G-Technology G-DRIVE will be shipping in limited quantities in Q1’12.

Look for the new drives to ship in the first quarter of 2012. The 8TB G-RAID will retail at $899, while the G-DRIVE will retail for $449.99 for 4TB, $349.99 for 3TB, $249.99 for 2TB and $199.99 for 1TB.

Hitachi G-RAID with Thunderbolt Adds 4TB of Snappy Storage to Macs is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Maybe your laptop is too heavy to carry around or too slow to deal with a huge novel file or all the tabs you keep open in Firefox. Is that netbook screen proving too tiny for comfortable editing? That keyboard too shitty for words?

I feel your pain. Trying to find the right computer for writing has consumed much of my writing life. Ever since I started reviewing laptops I’ve become aware of the vast choices available and been exposed to some of the best and most heinous machines in existence.

There is a good laptop for every need. Below are some of my recent favorites. If you don’t see one that fits your needs, let me know what you’re looking for in the comments. You should also check out our Notebook Gift Guide for more favorites.

Ultraportables

These very thin and light laptops fall into two basic categories: affordable ultraportables that don’t cost much and make good companion laptops and traditional ultraportables that are powerful enough to be your only computer and have hefty price tags.

Having a laptop dedicated to just writing is nice, and for that I look to the affordable models. However, if you need a new notebook and have the budget, why not go for one you can carry around everywhere on top of everything else?

HP Pavilion dm1

My top affordable ultraportable right now is the dm1. It has an AMD Fusion processor inside, which means that it performs better than a netbook but won’t be happy with too many heavy duty tasks.

The 11.6 inch display is big enough to fit a good amount of text on screen so both writing and editing will be comfortable. It weighs 3.3 pounds, which is just light enough to carry around all day if you pack light. It’ll last you that long as well.

One nice bonus is the inclusion of Beats Audio, so when you fire up the playlist your music will sound rich, full, and motivating.

Starts at $399 at HP.com.

Ultrabooks

Recently the Windows PC world has decided to join Apple in making super slim and light laptops called Ultrabooks. Right now we’re really liking the Toshiba Portege z835 and the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s. Both are very light and thin, weighing a little more or a little less than a netbook, depending on the configuration, but both bearing 13.3-inch displays.

The Portege has an ultra low voltage Intel Core i5 processor inside, which can handle mainstream tasks easily. If you do something very resource-intensive like edit videos or rock Photoshop for more than just cropping and minor adjustments, then you may be more comfortable with the IdeaPad and the Core i7 CPU inside. But for normal use, the Portege should be plenty of oomph.

Another hallmark of ultrabooks is long battery life. The Toshiba claims 9 hours, the Lenovo 8. We’re still testing them, but it’s been my experience that you can shave about 2 hours off the claimed battery life to calculate what you’d get under normal usage.

Both have comfortable keyboards, but the Portege has an extra that may appeal to those who don’t touch type: backlit keys.

The Toshiba Portege z835 is available for $799 at Best Buy, which is a good price for something this thin and speedy. The Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is hovering around $1,000 – $1,200 right now, but will likely come down as the holiday season gets in full swing.

Samsung Series 9

If a 13.3 inch screen is too big for you, check out this sleek little guy from Samsung. The 11.6-inch Series 9 comes with a Core i3 processor and either a 64GB or 128GB SSD. This ensures you’ll get speedy performance, though if you’re a heavy multitasker it may not be quite powerful enough for your needs.

The Series 9 is made from a strong metal called duralumin that is sturdy but light. The keyboard offers decent tactile feedback and the touchpad won’t get in your way. Due to the size you won’t get a lot of ports. You will get a nice 5 hours of battery life.

This sweet number costs quite a bit of money. However, it comes with a 3 year warranty out of the box, so it’ll be with you that long, at least. If you like the look but need more power, there’s a 13-inch version with better specs.

$1,049 and up at Samsung.com.

Business Notebooks

Don’t skip over this section just because you’re not a corporate type. So-called business laptops are often better for consumers than the stuff you’ll find on the shelf at Best Buy. They’re sturdy, have good keyboards and touchpads, come with a ton of ports, give you robust security options out of the box, and often have useful pre-loaded software.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1

If there’s one thing writers should know about Lenovo’s business laptops it’s that they have the best keyboards around. Even though it looks different from the Lenovo keyboards of old, the new style found on the ThinkPad X1 is just as easy and comfortable to type on as it is attractive. It offers strong tactile feedback, good travel, and just enough dip in the center to keep fingers on the right keys.

The X1 isn’t quite an ultraportable as it weighs 3.8 pounds. Not too heavy, but not super light. It’s also pretty thin, measuring just 0.8 inches thick.

Performance-wise, this is a workhorse machine that can handle Scrivener, MS Office, Firefox, iTunes, and way more without breaking a sweat. Well, not heavy duty games, but you’re here to write, not play WOW.

The only downside to this notebook is a short battery life: around 4 hours of real life usage. You can get an optional battery slice for $150 that will make it last twice as long. However, it adds weight and thickness.

Configurable at Lenovo.com, the ThinkPad X1 starts at $1,199.

HP Probook 5330m

HP has produced some really worthwhile business laptops lately. The ProBook 5330m looks pretty slick for a corporate type thanks to the brushed aluminum casing.

The backlit keyboard is really comfortable to type on and even has a trackpoint, so you can manipulate the mouse without having to move your hands from the keyboard. Inside you’ve got guts powerful enough for mainstream tasks and even some heavy duty stuff.

If you’re concerned about security, this laptop has some heavy-duty options for you. You can register your face for facial login, any of your fingers for one-swipe login, plus add a password. On top of that, you can set it so that not only do you need one or more of these logins, but also a registered Bluetooth device nearby, such as a phone.

It starts at $799 at HP.com.

Mainstream Notebook

Sony VAIO SE

This is another laptop that isn’t an ultraportable, but is designed with portability in mind. It has a 15-inch screen but doesn’t have a 15-inch bulk. For a laptop with this size screen it’s very thin and light, measuring just under an inch thick and weighing 4.4 pounds, making it reasonably mobile.

The screen is not only big, it also has a full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), so you can fit a lot of text on one screen or keep all the different little windows and panels in Scrivener open and still have enough room for your text. It’s also useful for looking at two different windows side by side.

The keyboard is comfortable, though doesn’t have the really strong tactile feedback of a Lenovo. Inside there’s a processor powerful to handle everything up to light video and photo editing and heavy multitasking.

Since it’s such a big system, it probably won’t last more than 5 hours on a charge. However, you can pick up a battery slice that covers and integrates with the bottom of the notebook. This adds some thickness and raises the entire notebook to 5.8 pounds. It’ll get you to 9 hours, though.

It starts at $999 at the Sony store.

MacBooks

You may have noticed a distinct lack of MacBook in any of the categories above. That’s because they deserve their own section.

Many writers swear by their MacBooks and say they can’t write without them. If you’re contemplating a new one or making the switch over from the PC, which should you pick?

MacBook Pro

Don’t be fooled by the “Pro” in the name. The 13-inch model is a pretty basic mainstream laptop at this point, though it is plenty powerful enough for most people.

Thanks to the aluminum casing it’s heavy enough that you will notice it if you carry it around a lot. But it’s not so heavy as to be prohibitive.

The flat keys are well-spaced but don’t dip enough for my tastes. Still, they have a snappy return. And the touchpad is one of the best I’ve ever used, hands-down.

If portability isn’t a concern and you just want a solid, powerful laptop, consider the 15-inch model. Again, because it’s all aluminum it’s going to be on the heavy side. But you’ll get a good keyboard, and nice big screen for editing and writing, and good performance for all your other tasks.

Starts at $1,199 at Apple.com.

MacBook Air

If portability is your main concern then you’re probably eying the MacBook Air. It is wonderfully thin and light and has the same good keyboard and excellent touchpad as the Pro line. You won’t get very many ports, but you will get most of the important ones.

The 11.6-inch model makes a good, but expensive, companion computer. It’s not going to deliver stunning performance, but it’s more powerful than a netbook or even an affordable ultraportable.

The 13.3-inch model is good enough to be a primary computer as it has a good processor and at least a 128GB SSD inside.

You’re going to pay for that power, though. It’s a Mac, so you knew that.

Starts at $999 at Apple.com.

These suggestions represent some of my favorite computers, but I’d love to hear what computers my fellow NaNoWriMo writers are using to get their daily wordcount. Tell us what you love or hate about your computer. What’s your ideal writing machine?

Looking for more tech suggestions for writers? Check out the NaNoWriMo tag over on GottaBeMobile.

NaNoWriMo: Best Notebooks For Writers is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

The new MacBook Pros have the same look as the previous models, but have updated specs, something we had expected. Updating the specs, and leaving the exterior unchanged is common at this point in the MacBook Pro life cycle.

The new MacBook Pro models are available for purchase today at Apple stores and online. The new models retail for the same price as previous models.

New MacBook Pro Specs, Same Look

The new 13″ MacBook Pro has a hard drive bump up to 500GB and  faster Intel Core i5 2.4GHz or 2.8GHz processor options.

The 15″ MacBook Pro models now have 2.2GHz, 2.4GHz and 2.5GHz quad core Intel processor options. The new models also have better graphics options. The low end GPU is the AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 512MB RAM and the high end offering is the new AMD Radeon HS 6770M with 1GB RAM. There are also new hard drive options, with up to a 750GB 7200 RPM drive available.

The 17″ MacBook Pro also gets a speed bump up to 2.3GHz and 2.5GHz quad core Intel processors. The graphics processor has also been bumped up to the new AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU with 1GB RAM. There is also a new 750GB 7200 RPM hard drive option.

The new MacBook Pro Models have a number of improvements.

These new MacBook Pro models offer a collection of welcome upgrades. The new 500GB entry level storage option on the MacBook Pro is a nice touch, as 320GB was a paltry amount of storage for a $1,199 computer.

Will you be picking up a new MacBook Pro?

New MacBook Pro Models Bring Speed, Storage and GPU Updates is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

9to5Mac points out that current MacBook Pro stock is “heavily constrained” and their source assures them that new model numbers are in Apple’s inventory system. The numbers indicate minor refreshes — so likely nothing new on the outside, but the latest Intel processors on the inside. Probably Bluetooth 4.0 as well.

But what about the skinny Air-like MacBook Pros we heard about earlier this year, you may ask. MacRumors speculates that those won’t arrive until Intel’s IvyBridge processors are ready. That was supposed to happen this year, but Intel is apparently a little behind.

So if you were about to buy a new MacBook, hold off for now. You may be able to get a more powerful model soon or the current models will cost a bit less.

New MacBook Pros Arriving This Month? is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

You can get the firmware update by following a link that Apple posted in their discussion forums. The direct link offers a DMG file to download and run on your Thunderbolt equipped MacBook.

After applying the file you will likely have to power down your computer and monitor. After a reboot all should be fixed.

Here’s the description from Apple:

The 24-inch LED Cinema Display Firmware Update addresses an issue that may cause intermittent display flickering. This firmware will only install on the Apple 24-inch LED Cinema Display when it is connected to a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac.

IMPORTANT:
This firmware update may not resolve the flickering issue if a Mini DisplayPort extender cable is used.

NOTE:
Some USB and FireWire devices may prevent firmware updates from installing correctly; disconnect non-essential devices and use only an Apple keyboard and mouse to apply the update.

Strangely, this fix won’t show up in Software Update yet. We are not sure why. Maybe it is a beta driver and Apple released it for those really bothered by it enough to post in a forum.

This problem now aside, I’d love one of these. It serves two purposes – not just an external display but also a Thunderbolt hub with USB ports as well. Plug one thing in and you get your external hard drive and any other peripherals. At a grand, they seem a bit out of reach for most average consumers, though.

(Via MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors)

Apple Releases Fix for Flickering Thunderbolt Displays in Forums is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

If you are interested in adding PCIe cards to your laptop, the device makes it possible with a silver box housing a 220 watt power supply and three PCIe 2.0 slots. Two of the slots will hold the faster x8 cards and the third only works with x4 cards. You can “daisy chain” up to six Thunderbolt devices through the box.

Magma markets this solution to video and broadcast professionals, audio professionals and other enterprise users who need to work with specialized PCI cards but also want to use a laptop with a Thunderbolt port. You can add SSD drives on PCI cards. You could also have a high powered video card for gaming and more memory. Whether any of these will be compatible with your MacBook is uncertain.

The box, ridiculously enough, comes with a carrying case. Not many people will actually bring these boxes with them except in specialized circumstances, like video professionals who need their powerful 17″ MacBook Pro on the set while they shoot video and add it to their computer through some special PCI video controller. But most people will likely use these at home or the office and only plug it into the Thunderbolt port when at the desk.

We don’t have a price or ETA, but you can learn more at the company’s web site. You can also sign up to be notified when it is going to ship. Based on the prices of other Thunderbolt accessories, don’t expect this to be cheap, though.

Magma ExpressBox 3T adds 3 PCIe Expansion Slots to MacBook via Thunderbolt is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Why a 15″ MacBook Pro is a Great Option

Although I own the 15″ Pro and the 13″ Air , and would hate to give up either one, I would  let you have the Air before you could take away my Pro. I consider the 15″ 2011 MacBook Pro the best computer I’ve ever owned and the perfect do-it-all system. Fifteen inches fit my needs well as a good desktop replacement that I can also take on the road without weighing me down. Since it sits on my desk about 80% of the time, why not a 17″ system? The price! I was not willing to pay more than $2,000 for the system and the cheapest 17″ model costs $2,500.

While it sits on my desk, I plug it into a 26″ Samsung LCD. I can’t wait for someone to create a reasonably priced Thunderbolt docking station so that I can plug in my Ethernet adapter, USB devices and monitor with just one connection besides the Magsafe Power connector.

On the road, the 15″ MacBook gives me a decent sized screen with high enough resolution to be able to put two apps open side-by-side without needing a magnifying glass. At the same time, the system doesn’t weigh me down too much. It isn’t a MacBook Air, but carrying a 15″ MacBook Pro is still comfortable. Opening two apps at a time on the 13″ MacBook Pro would be way too cramped, and as I said above, the 17″ costs too much.

The system provides enough power to do almost anything you can imagine doing with a laptop. I can play games, encode video, edit large RAW photos and run the system for hours thanks to decent battery life. Multitasking doesn’t slow his system down either.

MacBooks all have great keyboards and beautiful big trackpads. I like the MacBook Pro’s backlit keyboard, but even those are available on the Air. What the Air doesn’t have is an optical disc drive. You can add one via USB, but who wants to carry around an extra drive, if you know you will need it a lot? I switched mine out for extra storage, but most users won’t do that, so a DVD burner might be an option you need. You can’t get it built into the Air.

Video Review

Best Use Cases

So who should consider a 15″ MacBook Pro? I find it easer to say who should not. People who need a really large screen for detailed image editing or art work would be best served with a 17″ display, unless you are willing to only do this kind of work when you connect the computer to an external display.

Second, if you need to have more than two programs open at one time without overlapping the windows, then get a larger display.

Third, users who want a small and really light portable computer should not bother with the 15″ MacBook Pro. I don’t think it’s too heavy, but if you want ultra-portable, then it will be.

If you don’t fit the above categories, then you will love the MacBook Pro. Especially if you need a computer with a perfect balance between portability and power. The 15″ MacBook Pro hits the sweet spot of those two needs.

Pros Compared to Other Systems

• More powerful than Air
• More portable than 17″
• Best keyboard and trackpad of any laptop I’ve used
• Upgradable hard drive and memory unlike Air
• Pro offers best options for power for things like gaming and processor intensive tasks

Cons

• Less portable than 13″ Pro or the either Air
• Can’t get an anti-glare screen option
• Not good for those who need a ton of screen real estate

Recommendation

If you just want the cheapest MacBook you can get, the Pro is not your best choice. Get an 11″ Air. But if you don’t mind paying more, the 15″ MacBook Pro has proven to be the best computer I’ve ever owned and I have no hesitation in recommending one to people. I think the size, power and weight makes this one of the best do-it-all systems around in the 15″ screen size.

If you opt for the MacBook Pro, do not buy the hard drive or RAM upgrades from Apple, unless you are really nervous about opening up the case. RAM upgrades are stupid easy. Unscrew the bottom plate and pop out the old and pop in the new. The hard drive upgrade might challenge you, but with our help you can do it.

Also, unless you need a ridiculously powerful processor, I don’t think you need to spend extra to go from 2.0 to 2.3 GHz. The added cache will help you handle intense tasks, but most people don’t need to bother.

If you can afford it, get the highest resolution possible and the anti-glare screen if you ever think you will work in direct sunlight. If not, the glossy screen works well even in bright indoor lighting.

Available Options

Apple offers two base 15″ MacBook Pros costing either $1,799 or $2,199. The primary differences are as follows:

• 2.0GHz vs. 2.2GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7 processors
• 500GB vs. 750GB 5400rpm SATA hard drive
• AMD Radeon 6490M w/256MB GDDR5 graphics vs. 6759M w/1GB GDDR5 graphics

If you choose the lower cost option, here are some of the upgrade options you can pick:

• Add 4GB of RAM for $200
• Faster 7200 rpm hard drive for $100
• Larger 5400 rpm hard drive for $200
• 128GB SSD for additional $200
• 256GB SSD for additional $600
• 512GB SSD for additional $1,200
• 1680×1050 glossy display for $100
• 1680×1050 anti-glare screen for $150

Options available on the more expensive 15″ MacBook Pro that are not available on the lower cost include a slightly faster processor (2.3GHz instead of 2.2GHz) and more L3 cache (8MB instead of 6MB) for an additional $250.

Other options you can pick if you get the more expensive 15″ MacBook Pro include the same list as above.

The detailed specs are as follows:

• 2.0GHz, 2.2GHz or 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with 6MB shared L3 cache (8MB for 2.3GHz)
• 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM (2x2GB sticks upgradable to 2x4GB for 8GB total)
• 500GB 5400rpm SATA hard drive with options faster 500GB 7200 or larger 750GB 5400 drive
• Optional 128GB, 256GB or 512GB SSD drive in place of hard drive
• 8X slot loading SuperDrive supporting DVD+/-R, DL, RW or CD-RW
• AMD Radeon HD6490M graphics with 256MB of GDDR5 memory and Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384MB of DDR3 shared memory with auto switching or AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
• Resolution of 1440×900 and up to 2560×1600 supported on the Thunderbolt/mini-display port for external displays with an optional 1650×1080 glossy or anti-glare screens
• 802.11n a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.1
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 2 x USB 2.0
• Firewire
• HD capable FaceTime camera
• Mic and headphone jacks with digital and analog capability
• Stereo speakers and omnidirectional built-in mic
• Full size backlit keyboard
• Mult-Touch trackpad
• Up to 7 hours of battery

Which MacBook is Best For You? – 15″ MacBook Pro is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

I’m going to share the first 10 apps I install when getting a new Mac. Some of these items will be obvious, but others will be new to you. These Mac Apps represent the most essential tools I use on my computer, and I wouldn’t begin to imagine using a Mac without them.

You can find many of these apps in the Mac App Store, and can often find a free trial direct from the app’s website.

First 10 Apps to Install On Your Mac

Chrome – Free

Chrome is a better browser.

When you get your new computer Safari is an OK option for your browser, but if you use multiple computers, Chrome is your best friend. Chrome is a browser from Google that offers a better user experience. IN addition to syncing your bookmarks and history between computers, Chrome has a collection of handy features. My favorite feature is the ability to type searches and web addresses in the same box. This sounds small, but if you’ve wasted time typing a search in the address bar of Safari, you’ll appreciate this. Chrome doesn’t yet support the full screen features in Lion, but we expect it soon.

Evernote – Free

Evernote remembers so you don't have to.

Evernote is my digital file cabinet. If I even think I need to see this webpage, photo, document, serial number or anything else again, I put it in Evernote. If i had adopted this practice 2 years ago I could have saved myself 4 hours just yesterday that I spent looking for my Microsoft Office key and an old document. Evernote can perform text recognition on your scanned notes, the pictures you take with your smartphone and inside pdfs you upload. The app and the service are free, with a premium option available for power users.

Pixelmator – $30

Pixelmator makes photo editing user friendly.

If you need to do basic photo editing, but want more power than you get in iPhoto, Pixelmator is a great option. I have access to Photoshop and Pixelmator, but I found that Pixelmator is more accessible to the average user. Tasks are easier to find and actions make more sense to me in this app than in Photoshop. I still turn to Photoshop when I need a lot of power, but for touching up some photos of Vacation, Pixelmator is my go to app.

SizeUp – $13

SizeUp lets you move windows with your keyboard.

I cannot live without this app. SizeUp lets you snap your windows to the side or jump them to another monitor using keyboard shortcuts. Windows 7 users will recognize this as Aero Snap, but Mac users should just recognize it as awesome. You can customize your keyboard shortcuts so that it’s easy to snap windows to one side fo the screen and to jump them from one monitor to the next. The app also supports keyboard shortcuts to maximize your window or to push the window to another Space.

Dropbox and SugarSync – Free

Both Dropbox and SugarSync deliver a similar service — syncing your files to the web and to other computers. Dropbox gives you 2GB of free storage and SugarSync gives you 5GB of free storage. SugarSync offers more options and control, while Dropbox is a simpler implementation. I use both of these tools to keep files in sync and to share. If I need to share a large file, I use SugarSync to send a link to another SugarSync user or to anyone with an email address.

Skitch – Free

Skitch lets you take screenshots and more for free.

Skitch is a free app that lets you take screenshots of anything on your computer and capture images from your Mac’s webcam. When you take a screenshot, you can choose the specific area, or take a snapshot of a specific window. The tool goes a step further by allowing you to edit and sketch on your pictures and screenshots. I use it to take notes and annotations for how to guides, but it works for adding funny doodles to family portraits too. Skitch is now free, which rocks.

Sonos - Free

Sonos Desktop Controller

To use this app, you’ll need a Sonos player, but once you get one, you’ll wonder how you did without. I am reviewing the new Sonos Play:3 speakers right now and this Mac App allows me to play radio, Pandora, Rhapsody and my local music over speakers anywhere in my house. I can start playing music from the Sonos Mac App, and use the app on my Android phone or on my iPad to change the station while in the other room. The speaker will run you $300 and the Wireless bridge another $50, but if you want portable, wireless music that’s easy to control, Sonos is it.

LaunchPad-Control - Free

Launchpad-Control hides program icons from Lion’s Launchpad

If you have OS X Lion, you have the new LaunchPad, which gives you fast iPad-like access to your apps, but unfortunately there is a bunch of junk in the LaunchPad by default. For instance, when I pull up the LaunchPad, I see 30 un-installer icons, which I will never want to click in LaunchPad. With this free app, you can control which apps show up in LaunchPad and which are hidden.  Here’s a closer look at LaunchPad-Control.

Nag - 99 cents

Nag makes reminders easy.

If you ever lose time while working or playing on your Mac, Nag is the app for you. This app lets you create quick reminders that nag you when time is up. I use this to remind myself to cut out for a meeting or when I know I need to take a break from what I am working on. The click for time setup makes it simpler than pulling out my phone and it is way faster than trying to create a calendar reminder to tell you to stop looking at puppies fighting themselves in mirrors on YouTube and get to work.

Caffeine – Free

Keep your mac awake with Caffeine.

If you have a MacBook, Macbook Air or MacBook Pro, then I highly recommend Caffeine. This free app sits in your menu bar, and allows you to click once to keep your screen from going dim. Perfect for sharing an iPhoto slideshow, attending a web conference or just keeping your Mac awake while you read a boring document.

What’s your must have Mac App?

The Essential 10 Apps For Your New Mac is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Restore Disk is Nixed

If you bought a MacBook Pro before Lion, you would get a nice restore disk used to install the OS when you have a catastrophe or just want to clean up your Mac with a clean install of the OS. This is something you should consider doing once a year, or every time you install a major OS update, in order to keep things running smoothly. Think of it as spring cleaning for your computer. Now there is no restore disk because Lion comes with a restore feature, a lot like Windows PC users have been putting up with for years. Boot the system and restore before it goes into the OS.

One solution is to create a Lion install disk from the update following our guide. While I loved the switch from a DVD to a USB disk that came with the 2010 MacBook Air, I really hate this move and I am sure most Apple fans feel like a tiny bit of the Apple glimmer shows signs of tarnish. When I moved to a Mac last fall, this was one of the things I counted as a benefit. No longer! But don’t worry because you still get those cool Apple stickers and cleaning cloth.

Keyboard F3 and F4 Launches Mission Control and Launchpad

The old Mac keyboard’s F3 and F4 keys launched Expose’ and Dashboard. Now they launch Mission Control and Launchpad. Nice changes if you like the two new features in Lion. If not, this might be an annoyance.

For those who like to use your old Mac keyboard to quickly launch Mission Control and Launchpad using these same keys in Lion, you can by going into the Keyboard Settings in System Properties. Click on the Keyboard Shortcuts tab and look for Mission Control in the left hand list. It will be the second thing on the list. Click in the box at the far right so that it lets you change it. Tap the fn + F3 keys and you have a new shortcut to launch Mission Control. Do the same for Launchpad which you find in the list on the right first. On the left do the same and assign it to the fn+F4 key and you have these new features on your old keyboard.

Packaging Changes and OS Build Number

The obvious difference in packaging comes with a new picture on the cover showing the stock Lion desktop background on the MacBook Pro. Inside, aside from leaving out the restore DVD or USB disk the booklet is slightly different.

The OS X Lion build number is slightly different adding an A to the end of the 10A511 build number bringing it to 10A511a. No tangible differences were noticed.

Source: MacTrast via MacRumors

MacBook Pro Updated for Lion In Small, But Noticeable, Ways is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.