Apple Releases Firmware to Activate PowerNap on 2011 MacBook Airs

[yukycg]

I need help to install this update

I have the macbook air (2011)
I got the update via app store and try to install it after reboot, it stuck at gray screen.
I tried the update via manual download update, same thing. After I forced reboot the laptop the update is still appear in app update and no "powernap" option in power saver.

 

[Thex1138]

Sorry dude, this has been answered a million times already, but NO, only in-built SSD is supported. Why? Two explanations:

1. "normal" SSD has higher power consumption which doesn't fit to power nap
2. Apple wants us to feel our old Macs are outdated, and buy new ones

You decide.

Btw if your 2010 MBP has only Core 2 Duo CPU, it is absolutely out of the question, seeing the 2010 MBA with in-built SSD also not supporting Power Nap... : ( That means it's somehow also limited to Sandy Bridge architecture or later...

No problemos, thanks for your reply!
Yeah I put in an Intel 510 SSD... and it sips 380mW active, 100 mW idle...
Oh well... it still flies!
Thanks

 

[watchthisspace]

I think you nailed it - except that Macs don't use BIOS, they use EFI, and the EFIs are mostly written by Apple - in that case they could not come up with a smartconnect-enabled EFI update compatible with Core2Duo probably.

And to add, perhaps Apple simply couldn't get the 2010 MBA to acceptable levels or power consumption and temperature with Powernap.

 

[IPlayFair]

Personally I am not too happy that Apple are bringing out these new concepts... PowerNap / Airplay and then excluding them from machines which are not that old at all, my 2011 MBP will work with Airplay, but my i3 iMac will not, and neither of them will work with power nap. What Apple is basically doing is saying these are the things which will be compulsory in the future, and unless you buy new hardware you ain't gonna be having them, out of order if you ask me. Spending so much money on these things, I am happy to upgrade but every year, just to keep up with the OS updates?

Getting silly now Apple.

These are add on features. Your machine will still function without them. There could be a multitude of reason why the new features do not work on your machine, some have been explained in this thread. Simple things like drivers not being updated could be a culprit. Many Mac users modify their equipment (adding a SSD for example), could be the install was not correct or there is a conflict somewhere. I don't understand why some people accuse Apple of having a Sinister motive.

 

[Confuzzzed]

Yup. I'm really disappointed. PowerNap was one feature I was looking forward to.

No AirPlay and now no PowerNap. Grrrrr........ The computer is not even two years old, and already features are missing.

You're right !!! I am the owner of a MacBook Air 11'' Late 2010 and I am 100% sure that Late 2010 MB Airs were supported by PowerNap until yesterday, f...k you Apple !!!

Marvellous! If you guys owned a windows laptop, two years on you'd be looking to throw it in the bin. Yet, Apple gives you a machine that works as well as it did the day you bought it and because your machine is not compatible with a small feature, 2 years on, you get full of entitlement and throw toys out of the pram? Grow up. In car years, you're driving a 6 year old BMW 3 series. Do you think BMW gives you new features with backward integration in mind?

I am not. On a side note let's get Tim cook fired he's screwing up what jobs built. Apple is going to really regret this year if iphone 5 disipoints.

Grow up

No, but they can create software workarounds. They could easily have written something similar to AirParrot and we'd all be happy then. As for powernap, that too could be a software tweak.

Have you used AirParrot? I wouldn't want to stream a virus with it, never mind something I wanted to watch and enjoy...some things are just not that easy to do with a software 'workaround'

http://www.intel.com/support/services/smartconnect/sb/CS-033108.htm

There's probably the biggest reason why the 2010 got silently dropped in support. I'd have my money on that Intel couldn't get a BIOS update to support it.

Spot on (although someone already explained it's not called BIOS)

I think Apple is in the process of phasing them out so I doubt we will ever see it on the desktops.

This statement is so insane, I wouldn't know where to begin...

You can achieve much of the same functionality by turning off your external display and leaving your computer running.

This! The other reason why powernap is useful for laptops is that you can have the machine in sleep, come out of a meeting (or get out of bed), grab your machine in a hurry and when you get on the train (or in a coffee shop, campus etc. without wifi) your email, calendar and stuff is right there for you so you can work right away. Unless you're in the habit of putting an iMac under your arm on the way to work in the morning, you don't need this feature because in modern day desk tops you're told not to switch the off and most modern day displays put themselves to sleep...

 

[ABG]

Marvellous! If you guys owned a windows laptop, two years on you'd be looking to throw it in the bin. ...

Its not 2 years. The oldest 2nd Gen MBA are 19 months old, and it was July 2011 (one year ago) when Sandy Bridge MBAs which can use these features were launched.

The point is when announcing ML Apple advertised Powernap as being available for 2nd Gen MBAs. Now its not there there is no comment from Apple.

As for the rest of your rant why not take your own advice and

Grow up

 

[Cmmts]

I confirmed it, powernap works on my 2010 air. Got the smc update during the developer preview time. I was now able to locate the computer while it was in sleep. So it isn't a technical limitation.

 

[joeinav]

What is the delay for the new Retina MBP?

I really don't understand how Apple could release Mountain Lion without support of the best feature (IMO) on its new & best MBP! Very disappointed with Apple and its now losing some of its shine.

 

[orthorim]

No.
It's very disappointing that Power Nap only works on Macs with the blade-type SSDs.

How is that disappointing? Are you expecting to get new features for free at regular intervals?

It's like saying it's very disappointing that your old car is not a plug-in hybrid.

I have a retina MBP but frankly I don't see the benefits of PowerNap. I don't need my computer to check emails while asleep - email, calendar sync, etc - all these network tasks are accomplished within a minute of waking from sleep.

So I save a minute. Whatever.

I certainly don't want my computer to act like an iPad with notifications on. Had this recently where my brother called me at 4:00 am (he's in a different time zone, didn't mean to) and the iPad suddenly went wild. Took me a while to figure out what was going on. Sometimes OFF is exactly what my computer should be.

Downloading upgrades in the background - yeah OK, maybe, but I generally want manual control over which updates to install and which not to.

----------

The bigger downfall of this is the unsupported 3rd Party SSDs that we all have installed in our MBPs/iMacs, etc. I probably wouldnt use this feature, but its just the fact that they arent supporting 3rd party SSDs that makes me slightly annoyed.

Please stop and think for a moment before you post, people.

There's this underlying assumption that Apple's main goal with new features is to
1 - Piss people off
and
2 - Somehow this translates into new hardware sales.

If that was Apple's business plan, I don't think they'd be around anymore to get upset about. If they don't support some hardware, they do it because it just doesn't work on that hardware.

 

[Prodo123]

How is that disappointing? Are you expecting to get new features for free at regular intervals?

It's like saying it's very disappointing that your old car is not a plug-in hybrid.

I have a retina MBP but frankly I don't see the benefits of PowerNap. I don't need my computer to check emails while asleep - email, calendar sync, etc - all these network tasks are accomplished within a minute of waking from sleep.

So I save a minute. Whatever.

I certainly don't want my computer to act like an iPad with notifications on. Had this recently where my brother called me at 4:00 am (he's in a different time zone, didn't mean to) and the iPad suddenly went wild. Took me a while to figure out what was going on. Sometimes OFF is exactly what my computer should be.

Downloading upgrades in the background - yeah OK, maybe, but I generally want manual control over which updates to install and which not to.

Let's say you bought a Late 2011 MacBook Pro or the Mid-2012 Unibody MacBook Pro, and it had a SSD in it. It's newer than both the 2nd- and 3rd-generation MacBook Airs, and both have the capability to use Power Nap because they both have SSDs. But only the MacBook Airs get the feature, which is what I find absolutely absurd.

The older products are getting new features while the newer products are left in the dust.

Since I don't even have a SSD I don't care if I am going to get this feature. I just find it absurd that Apple decided to do this.

(please think before posting)

 

[starstreak]

Yup. Work only bought the usb 2.0/FW800 enclosures. It's funny. If the Mac store doesn't have it, they don't buy it. So of course none of the external drives at the Apple store carried anything with usb 3.0 built in before the Apple devices started supporting it.

The MBPR does support USB3. Or is it that you've only got USB 2.0 and FW enclosures?

 

[andrewkendall]

Thanks! But this is frustrating. I have the exact same setup as you, down to the SMC version number, but no Power Nap settings.

Have you seen this? https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=15341824#post15341824

 

[tobyyarwood]

is this early firmware update for 2010 mba still about?

I confirmed it, powernap works on my 2010 air. Got the smc update during the developer preview time. I was now able to locate the computer while it was in sleep. So it isn't a technical limitation.

That is great.. do you know if this early firmware update for 2010 mba still about? can anyone dropbox it? Also, what would happen if i just used the 2011 update from apple on my 2010 MBA?

Many thanks for any help...

----------

That is great.. do you know if this early firmware update for 2010 mba still about? can anyone dropbox it? Also, what would happen if i just used the 2011 update from apple on my 2010 MBA?

Many thanks for any help...

OH .. sorry guys, I should have read the rest of the post before asking for help...

 

[aircanman]

My only issue is Apple innovate, they create the norm, therefore when they create a feature, down the line it becomes a standard. A car will always drive but never fly, apple seems to be getting its hardware to 'fly' all the time, making new hardware a must for the most dedicated fans. Examples include power nap needing supported SSD, AirPlay mirroring needing newer than i3.

I accept it because I benefit from the most amazing user experience around, but newcomers who keep the machines over a long period may be frustrated with constant restricted updates.