Today, Apple announced updated versions of its iPad and MacBook products. The new Mac Pro tower got a release date. And Apple said several updated software products, including the new Mac OS "Mavericks," will be free. However, no new products were introduced, leaving some analysts disappointed.
The full size iPad now will be called the iPad Air, to emphasize its new low weight and thinner profile. The A7 64 bit main processor and M7 coprocessor, introduced in the iPhone 5s, now powers the iPad Air. The iPhone's TouchID fingerprint scanner is not found on the iPad, however. The iPad Air will have the same price as the outgoing iPad models, which start at $499 for a WiFi model with 16 GB of storage memory.
The iPad Mini gets all the processor upgrades coming to the iPad Air, plus a new Retina (2048x1536) color LCD display. That raises the starting price from $329 to $399. The Retina Ipad Mini is a little thicker and heavier than the original iPad Mini. The iPad Mini screen is 7.9 inches diagonally, two inches smaller than the iPad Air, which helps make the Mini about 3 ounces lighter than the Air. For $399, the iPad Mini includes 16 GB RAM and WiFi.
Apple will continue to sell the original iPad Mini, with slower processor and lower resolution screen, for $299. The iPad 2 will remain on the order list at $399.
Here's a page that shows the differences in the iPad Air and iPad mini lineups.
http://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/
The new MacBook Pro is lighter, considerably faster and has better battery life than last year's model. Starting at $1299 for the model with a 13 inch screen, it's also $100 cheaper. This matches up well to the current crop of "ultrabook" laptops.
The Mac Pro tower computer, announced last Summer, will be available in December. Starting price will be $2995 for a model with one Xeon processor, 12 GB RAM and 256 GB flash drive. Options to increase the number of processors and memory will be available.
The full size iPad now will be called the iPad Air, to emphasize its new low weight and thinner profile. The A7 64 bit main processor and M7 coprocessor, introduced in the iPhone 5s, now powers the iPad Air. The iPhone's TouchID fingerprint scanner is not found on the iPad, however. The iPad Air will have the same price as the outgoing iPad models, which start at $499 for a WiFi model with 16 GB of storage memory.
The iPad Mini gets all the processor upgrades coming to the iPad Air, plus a new Retina (2048x1536) color LCD display. That raises the starting price from $329 to $399. The Retina Ipad Mini is a little thicker and heavier than the original iPad Mini. The iPad Mini screen is 7.9 inches diagonally, two inches smaller than the iPad Air, which helps make the Mini about 3 ounces lighter than the Air. For $399, the iPad Mini includes 16 GB RAM and WiFi.
Apple will continue to sell the original iPad Mini, with slower processor and lower resolution screen, for $299. The iPad 2 will remain on the order list at $399.
Here's a page that shows the differences in the iPad Air and iPad mini lineups.
http://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/
The new MacBook Pro is lighter, considerably faster and has better battery life than last year's model. Starting at $1299 for the model with a 13 inch screen, it's also $100 cheaper. This matches up well to the current crop of "ultrabook" laptops.
The Mac Pro tower computer, announced last Summer, will be available in December. Starting price will be $2995 for a model with one Xeon processor, 12 GB RAM and 256 GB flash drive. Options to increase the number of processors and memory will be available.