Apple Re-Imagines the iMac, MacBook, and the Mac Mini
Few companies have captured the world’s imagination like Apple. The first product I owned was a Macintosh Plus. Looking back on that beige beauty I realize that it was a tiny glimpse of what was to come from this company. Today we were treated to the latest that these technological wizards have to offer and I for one was not disappointed.
The day began with Apple CEO Tim Cook taking the stage and you could feel his own excitement at what was to come. Mr. Cook went on to espouse Apple’s commitment to excellence before turning the stage over to Phil Schiller, Apple Senior VP. Now the fun could get started. New MacBook Pros.
They possess same beautiful aluminum outer case but are oh so much thinner at 0.75 inches and weighing in at just 3.5 pounds. Available in 13 and 15 inch screens, both impressive Retina Displays, they are loaded all the tech we might expect. These include MagSafe 2, HDMI out, 2 Thunderbolt ports, 2 USB 3.0, SDXC card slot, dual mics, and headphone out. Of note is the addition of Power Nap, a feature that allows the MacBook Pro to complete tasks such a Time Capsule Backup, email retrieval, and more while the unit is closed.
The Mac Mini was next to be displayed. This has always been one of the most underrated computers for me, now more than ever. Available in Dual or Quad Intel i5 or i7 processors, the Mac Mini packs punch in all the right places. Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps), FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps), Four USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps), HDMI port, SDXC card slot, Audio In/Out, Headphone out, and Gigabit Ethernet port. Great storage options are also available in the form of a 500GB hard up to a 1TB “Fusion Drive” (more on that later).
As a current iMac owner I have to say that I was green with envy when they brought out the new iMac. It made my old unit look like a glorified paperweight. The new iMacs are thin. I mean super thin coming in at a shocking 5mm thin on the edges. This gives them an ultra-sleek look and has me wondering “Is there really a computer in there?” Yes, indeed there is a powerful computer in there. The new screen is fully laminated to the cover glass saving space and allowing Apple to eliminate reflection from the LCD panel. The full complement of ports are available on the iMac but there is no longer a built-in Super Drive.
Speaking of drives, Apple introduced us to the Fusion Drive, which combines a high-capacity hard drive with high-performance flash storage. Fusion Drive automatically manages your data so that frequently used apps, documents, photos, and other files stay on the faster flash storage, while infrequently used items move to the hard drive. All of this is handled seamlessly by OS X Mountain Lion. Available in a number of configurations, the iMac is sure to remain atop the list of all-in-one computing solutions.
More to come later on the rest of the new Apple line up.
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