But what most people can agree on is that Apple truly understands hardware. For years now, the company has been delivering the most innovative hardware designs in the industry. And its success in the marketplace has largely been a result of that.

Still, I’m suspect of claims that Apple still holds the crown as the world’s best hardware designer. Yes, the company’s products are nice-looking and I’ll freely admit that the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Pro with Retina Display have rightfully earned Jonathan Ive his place in the spotlight. But when we take the entire industry as a whole, is it not possible for us to accept the idea that maybe – just maybe – Apple’s design cred has been hurt a bit?

Looking at Apple’s products, I’m not all that impressed any more. Although the iPhone 5 came with some design improvements, it’s basically the same device we’ve been seeing for years with a few changes here and there. And since so-called “major” updates only come out every other year, I sit and see nothing that’s so revolutionary that I’d commend the company on design.

Moving to the iPad, I think we can say the same thing. The iPad is certainly nice-looking, but is it really so much better looking than any other device on the market right now? Samsung, Google, and Amazon are all offering tablets that have similar designs, and they’re no less appealing.

But it’s in the notebook space that I think we need to seriously reconsider the idea that Apple is the world’s best hardware designer. Sure, the MacBook Pro with Retina Display is nice-looking, but is it really any better than any Ultrabook on the market right now? And when it comes to innovation, who can really take issue with what Lenovo is doing with half-tablet, half-notebook IdeaPad Yoga? It appears that Apple is the company that now likes to stay the course, and it’s allowing other companies to deliver the truly interesting products.

So, I pose this question: has Apple officially lost its credibility as the technology industry’s leading hardware designer? Apple fans will instinctively say that it hasn’t. But perhaps it’s best if we take a step back and evaluate what’s really going on in the marketplace. Apple is by no means a design slouch and its products are good-looking. But can we stop pretending like it’s the only company that truly understands what design is all about?

It might have taken competitors longer to catch up to Apple on design, but catch up they have. And it’s high time we accept that and give credit where it’s due.

These new MacBooks are said to be packing Intel’s latest Haswell processors, and it’s believed that while Apple puts a lot of focus on its Retina-equipped MacBook Pros, the company will continue to produce regular MacBook Pros for the foreseeable future, due to their continued popularity and lower price point.

Kuo thinks that updated regular MacBooks will start shipping soon after WWDC, but new Retina MacBooks will see a slight delay due to production issues. As for the MacBook Air, Kuo believes that the next update to the line will include Retina displays, but it’ll obviously come at a cost, just as with the other Retina MacBooks.

Earlier today, we also heard details about OS X 10.9, which could also make an appearance at WWDC this year, where the new operating system will come with even more iOS-like features. OS X 10.9 is expected to be yet another baby step towards closing the gap between OS X and iOS. Kuo also mentioned earlier today that the Retina iPad mini may not see a 2013 release due to production delays.

[via MacRumors]

First up is the latest gen 13-inch MacBook Pros with Retina displays. The 13-inch Macbook Pro with an i7-3540M 3GHz dual-core processor shows a 328 point increase compared to the last generation i7 13-inch MacBook. The 13-inch Macbook Pro with an i5-3230M 2.6GHz dual-core processor shows a 205 point increase from its predecessor.

For the 15-inch MacBooks with Retina displays, the 15-inch MacBook with the i7-3840QM 2.8GHz quad-core processor shows a 523 point increase from the i7-3820QM model. The i7-3740QM 2.7GHz quad-core MacBook shows a 332 point increase from the i7-3720QM model, and the i7-3635QM 2.4GHz quad-core MacBook shows a 424 point increase from the previous i7-3615QM model.

The benchmarks only show a minor performance boost for each upgrade, however some of the upgraded versions also feature a boost in either storage space or RAM. The 13-inch i5-3230M has double the storage space compared to its predecessor, and the 15-inch i7-3840QM MacBook features a whopping 16GB of RAM. Depending on your needs, if you just want a MacBook Pro that works efficiently, the previous models will do just fine.

[via MacRumors]

The increase in prices brings the Office for Mac OS software up to the same price-point as Office 2013 for Windows. Also with the price increase for Office for the Mac OS, it looks like Microsoft has also gotten rid of its multi-license products, which is probably a move that’s meant to drive consumers towards Microsoft’s Office 365 subscription service. For $99 a year, or for $9.99 a month, you can subscribe to Office 365 for families, and install Office on up to 5 devices. With the subscription, the user will be given the installation software for Office for Mac Home and Business. For Windows users, you get the installation files for Office 2013.

According to Computer World, the price change for the Mac OS software was most likely increased around January 29th, the same day Microsoft Office 2013 and Office 365 was launched. For Mac owners, if you still want to purchase Microsoft Office for the older price-point, many retailers, like Apple itself, are still selling Office for Mac 2011 at its original price.

Microsoft hiking up the prices of its Mac software, and also its elimination of multi-license software does bring the spotlight to open source projects, like Open Office or Libre Office, who offer programs with the same functions for free. So unless you specifically need the Microsoft Office software for your job or business, there are plenty of alternative, free software that can meet your needs.

As for the specification bump to the Retina-blessed MacBook Pro line-up, they see Intel’s latest processors slotted inside. The $1,699 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display kicks off with a 2.6GHz processor paired with 256GB of flash storage, for instance.

There are more changes for the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, with the entry-level model now getting a 2.4GHz quadcore processor instead of the 2.3GHz chip previously used. Its more expensive sibling now gets a 2.7GHz quadcore processor and 16GB of memory, up from the 2.6GHz and 8GB of RAM previously specified.

All of the new models are available to order from Apple’s online store, retail stores, and resellers from today, with customization options also available if you build-to-order online. More on the notebooks themselves in our 2012 reviews; you can find them in the timeline below.

The 2.5 GHz Core i5 model with 128GB SSD is selling for $1,439 refurbished, compared to $1,699 for the brand-new model — a 15% discount. The 2.5 GHz Core i5 version with 256GB of storage is priced at $1,699, compared to the same model that’s $1,999 brand new, and the 2.9 GHz Core i7 with 512GB of storage is $2,289, compared to $2,689 brand new.

All three models come with 8GB of RAM and Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, and all three are listed with a ship date of 1-3 business days. As with all of Apple’s refurbished products, these 13-inch Retina MacBook Pros have been thoroughly tested and carry a one-year warranty that equals that of brand-new MacBooks.

If you’re interested in the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro models, a few different versions are available in Apple’s refurbished store as well, and they were first released in the store just a couple weeks before the 13-inch models landed today. However, the 13-units took a bit more time to reach the refurbished store, hinting that not too many users are returning their smaller Retina MacBooks to Apple.

[via MacRumors]

The iPad’s share of the tablet segment has been jostled by capable entrants from Android vendors, but Apple’s slate remains the go-to model, and the breadth of tablet-specific software in the App Store continues to put Google’s Play market to shame. Apple in fact managed two full-sized iPads in 2012, the third-gen debuting Retina technology on a tablet back in March, and then promptly replacing it with the fourth-gen iPad in November.

After Steve Jobs’ oft-repeated comments about “tweener” tablets, however, it’s the iPad mini which caught the imagination this year. Apple needed to take a new approach, given the founder’s very public criticisms of the form-factor, and it did that with a combination of slick design along with a little compromise. Waifishly thin, the iPad mini gets us closest to the Star Trek fantasy of a futuristic PADD computer to-date, but by borrowing the core specifications of the original iPad’s display, Apple ensured compatibility with all of the tablet software already in the App Store. Undercutting the full-sized iPad in price – which has evolved into something of an iPad “pro” for power users – and having no shortage of software has seen the iPad mini instantly carve a niche in a segment Apple was late to.

Check out our iPad mini review for all the details

On the topic of lateness, Apple eschewed its yearly refresh cycle by pushing the iPhone 5 back until mid-September, rather than the mid-summer launch of previous models. Adopting 4G LTE for the first time, and dropping the glass body of the previous two generations in favor of more resilient aluminum, the biggest change for the iPhone 5 was an increase in screen size: stepping up to 4-inches from the 3.5-inch panels of all previous models. The elongated iPhone looked a little stretched at first glance, but Apple made a convincing argument that a longer device of the same width made one-handed navigation just as easy as before, while developers would have less work to do getting their apps up to speed.

Apple’s decisions around its Mac range have been more controversial. In portables, the new MacBook Pro with Retina followed the slick displays of the iPhone and iPad with a high-resolution panel first for the 15-inch (in June) and then the 13-inch (in October). A trimming of the unibody form-factor for the first time in some generations, meanwhile, made both thinner and lighter, prompting some split-decisions for potential MacBook Air buyers suddenly faced with the new 13-inch Pro.

Thin was in for the iMac, too, with the all-in-one going on a diet thanks to some visual sleight of hand and condensed internals. No Retina display – such large-scale panels likely being in short supply and at too great a price premium right now – but still space for the Fusion Drive, a combined traditional hard-drive and chunk of flash storage for a relatively affordable balance of cost, capacity, and speed.

Check out our iMac 2012 review for all the details

With slimmer form-factors, however, has come reduced flexibility in user repairs and upgrades: of the new-design iMacs and MacBooks, only the largest iMac supports memory upgrades. None of them are amenable to storage upgrades, and even if you do manage to crack open the chassis without damaging it along the way, non-standard flash storage and other components reduce the potential for easy updates. That decision hasn’t apparently dampened consumer spirits, but the impact may well not be seen until a few years into the life-cycle.

Meanwhile, Apple’s computing behemoth, the Mac Pro, remains largely untouched, prompting concerns by pro-users that the company intends to either “consumerize” the desktop or, worse still, phase it out altogether in favor of higher-spec iMacs. A minor processor bump in June also saw maximum memory support doubled, but Thunderbolt is conspicuous by its absence, as is USB 3.0. Exactly what the upgrade path for Mac Pro users is today is unclear.

The controversy didn’t end with hardware. iOS 6.0 launched alongside the iPhone 5, running into mixed opinions as to whether the platform’s consistency with the very first generation OS was admirable consistency or a sign that things were getting stale at Cupertino. Any real conversation on that front was squeezed out by Apple Maps, however, a new service to replace the ousted Google Maps and one which quickly met with derision.

Out-of-date business data, misplaced locations, nonsensical directions, and a complete lack of public transportation assistance quickly soured initial positivity about the new interface, turn-by-turn driving directions, and 3D “Flyover” graphics. Apple was even forced to publicly apologize, a mea-culpa from Tim Cook quietly followed by the resignation of Maps chief Scott Forstall. Server-side polish continues, but a standalone Google Maps for iOS app almost instantly shot to the top of the App Store free downloads chart when released in December.

Apple’s move to narrow the gap between desktop and mobile continued with the release of OS X Mountain Lion 10.8, hitting new Macs and old in late June. Borrowing features like Notification Center from iOS, and fettling the UI to be more similar – and, some criticized, more simplistic and at the cost of easily-accessible advanced features – to what iPad and iPhone users might be familiar with, it nonetheless became Apple’s most successful Mac OS release to-date, with 3m downloads in the first four days.

2012 wasn’t all business-as-usual for Apple, however, despite a product range that for the most part has been successful. The first full year without any input from Steve Jobs, after his death in late 2011, has seen Tim Cook and Co. face a more critical audience. It’s managed, for the most part, to adjust its position while putting a distinctive spin on each launch: following the smartphone industry with its progression to bigger displays, for instance, while opting for a panel aspect that still fits with one-handed use demands.

Still, where once the company might have been able to rely on brand, reputation, and some degree of Jobsian legacy to carry its decisions with sheer momentum alone, the Apple of 2012 and beyond has to adopt a more balanced position in the marketplace. That’s involved legal tussling with Samsung (among others) as the phone industry as a whole tries to get to grips with what’s generic functionality, what’s unique to a brand, and what’s legal homage. Meanwhile, the Apple-faithful – and Apple consumers in general, greater in number as the company’s sales increase – have become more vocal in their support and in their complaints.

That’s new territory for Apple, in recent years at least, but it’s arguably better for the brand and its products. Just as you might not trust your friends’ compliments about your new haircut, questioning their objectivity, so a groundswell of automatic applause every time you launch a product is a good way of losing sight of what the mainstream market thinks. Not so comfortable day to day – especially when the reaction to services like Apple Maps is so vitriolic – but better in the long term, and boding interesting times ahead for 2013.

You can keep up to speed with all the Apple news in our hub

Digits features a new solution for glove-wearing touchscreen-loving individuals with what they call GripTalk – this is a silicone pattern that sits inside of each glove for both right and left-handed users, this working well with the gloves’ microfleece inner lining. Available in both dark gray and light gray – hot!

Next there’s the iGlaze for MacBook Pro with Retina Display. This unit you’ll recognize from our iGlaze for MacBook Air and iPad 3 review from earlier this year. This is a precision-tooled polycarbonate hardshell case made to be durable, lightweight, thin, and “nearly scratch-proof.” So they say. It’s actually rougher and tougher than you’ll be able to break through, they’re mostly just saying that just IN CASE you come in contact with a lightsaber.

Finally there’s the Overture, a fabulous protective case for the iPhone 5. This unit works with “all the functionalities of a slim wallet” including three slots for ID, transport, and credit cards as well as a full-length inner pocket for storage galore. This case comes with a “Neato” brand detachable and washable microfiber pad for cleaning the iPhone’s display. This case is made with a strong polycarbonate frame and lined with Moshi’s own proprietary Terahedron microfiber for fabulous protection.

The iPhone 5 case Overture is set to be available in Metallic Black, Sienna Orange, and Falcon Gray – all of which are rather smooth on the eyes and classy in the pocket. Have a peek at a few other Moshi posts we’ve had over the past few months to get a taste of what they’re all about.

Apple has arguably pushed tablet processors as far as they need to go, at least for today’s market. There’s a sense that the Apple A6X chipset in the latest, fourth-generation iPad with Retina display was a near-meaningless improvement on the A6 its predecessor sported; far more important was the change from old-style Dock Connector to new Lightning port. Sure, the newest iPad is faster in benchmarks, but in day to day use there’s hardly a noticeable difference.

Those benchmarks give some hints, however, as to where ARM chips might make sense on the desktop. The iPad 4 did particularly well in SunSpider, a browser-based test of JavaScript performance that gives a good indication of how fast the web experience will be. Considering most of us live online when we’re using our computers, that’s an increasingly important metric.

The iPad 4 scored under 880ms in our SunSpider testing (the lower the number, the better), making it one of the fastest tablets around in that particular benchmark. Now, admittedly, a current-gen MacBook Pro is capable of scores a quarter of that. But, more importantly, the iPad 4 can run for more than ten hours of active use delivering its level of performance, on a 43 Whr battery. Inside the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina, in contrast, Apple finds room for a 74 Whr pack.

The allure of an ARM-based MacBook, then, is the combination of that growing performance and the power frugality of the chips that deliver it. Intel may make a fast processor, but it’s behind the curve when it comes to efficiency compared to ARM; the company’s struggles with Atom in the mobile market are evidence of that. And, while there’ll always be a cadre of performance-demanding Mac users, the regular cohort with more everyday needs might be more than wiling to sacrifice a little top-end grunt for the longevity to make it through a transatlantic flight with plenty of juice to spare.

In the end, though, Apple is notoriously self-reliant. The company has bought or invested in specialists in chip components, displays, aluminum casing production, optically-laminated displays, component assembly, and more. Anything, in short, that contributes to Apple’s supply chain or its competitive advantage in the market place (or preferably both). Sometimes the fruits of those investments go relatively unused for years, at least as far as the public can see; Apple’s perpetual and exclusive license to use Liquidmetal in its range – something so far mostly limited to a SIM-removal tool – is a good example of that.

We’ve also seen how it won’t shy from distancing itself from vendors when they either won’t toe the line or let the company down. NVIDIA’s time in the doghouse after the faulty MacBook GPU saga is good evidence of that, while AMD has long been tipped as attempting to curry Apple’s favor but never quite delivering the goods in internal testing.

If Apple can rid itself of reliance on another third party – and further extend the distance between its range and Windows-based PCs, blurring the lines of direct comparison – then it will undoubtedly jump at that chance. It’s unlikely to be shy in flexing its checkbook to do so, either, betting on long-term investment over short-term gains.

Apple, if time has taught us anything, will do what’s best for Apple: that means it demands the biggest advantage from those it works with, and isn’t afraid of taking a hit if it needs to change in order to achieve greater returns. In the past, Intel has given it early access to new processors, as well as the collaborative spoils of Thunderbolt ahead of PC rivals. If Intel can’t meet the grade on the sort of processors Apple sees as pivotal to its vision of future computing, however, all that shared history will be for naught. As far as Apple goes, it’s the Cupertino way or the highway.

This update has Eddy Cue taking on additional responsibilities inside the universes of Siri and Maps. This change has all of Apple’s online services put in one group, a group that’s overseen items such as iCloud, the Apple Store, and the iTunes Store. Jony Ive will be adding Human Interface to his plate, this added to his giant role of leader of Industrial Design which he’s held for some time. As Apple says, “His incredible design aesthetic has been the driving force behind the look and feel of Apple’s products for more than a decade.”

Mister Craig Federighi will be taking charge of both OS X and iOS at once. This will have both systems – mobile and desktop – seeing more integration than ever, making one user experience key for those that work with both. Bob Mansfield will be leading a brand new group called Technologies. This Technologies group will be covering Apple’s wireless teams across the entire company into one organization.

Technologies will also include the semiconductor teams and will be “fostering innovation in this area at an even higher level” than ever before. Expect big things to continue to come from Apple, but that this change of the guard in a couple of yet areas to have a real effect on the innards of the company. Now we must wait to see what’s next for Browett and Forstall – or who will be lucky enough to attain their talents!

[via Apple]

Hardware and Design

Side by side, the two Retina-class notebooks are almost identical in their thickness. The 13-inch model is actually slightly thicker – we’re talking a millimeter’s difference, mind – but the disparity in weight (3.57 pounds versus 4.46 pounds), width (12.35 inches versus 14.14 inches), and depth (8.62 inches versus 9.73 inches) are the most noticeable changes. If the original Retina MacBook Pro is a long, thin slice of computer, then the smaller model is a tiny powerhouse that can easily be dropped into a bag without demanding the sort of performance compromise of, say, a MacBook Air. Next to the old-style 13-inch, meanwhile, the differences are considerably more obvious. The new Retina model is thinner, lighter, narrower, and even less deep.

Still, there are some compromises to be made for reducing bulk (and for starting $500 less) from the 15-inch Retina Pro. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina loses the discrete graphics option of its 15-inch sibling, making do with Intel HD Graphics 4000, though you can still power two external displays – via a combination of the two Thunderbolt ports and the single HDMI – and run the notebook’s own display simultaneously.

Storage starts off at 128GB of flash, with 256GB, 512GB, and 768GB options; the default processor is a 2.5GHz Core i5 dualcore, whereas the 15-inch model heads straight to Core i7 quadcores. You can pay extra for a Core i7 chip on the 13-inch, but it’s the dualcore, not the quad. Memory is a fixed 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L, with no option to change that.

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina: Hands-on and comparisons:

All the ports, wireless connectivity, and 720p webcam are the same as we saw on the 15-inch, as is the backlit keyboard and sizable trackpad. That means you get a pair of Thunderbolt connectors (which can double as Mini DisplayPort), two USB 3.0, a headphone jack, SDXC memory card slot, and an HDMI output. Inside there’s WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0, and a pair of microphones are on the left edge.

Apple’s industrial design continues its gradual evolution toward thinner, pared-back computing, and the new MacBook Pro is no different. From the side, it’s like the old model but flatter; you can also glimpse the new “side gill” vents which are part of the reworked cooling system. In use, it’s quiet, with the fans only rising to a concentrated hum during the heavier moments of our benchmarking. The compromise to be made is one of repairability and room for improvement: the memory is soldered to the logic board, so as to shave away bulk, as is the processor, and the flash storage uses a proprietary connector so it’s sensible to buy the biggest drive you can afford initially.

Display

The 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina display is, at 2560 x 1600, slightly lower than the 2880 x 1800 of the 15-inch, but because of the smaller size its pixel density is even higher: 227 ppi compared to 220 ppi. With both in front of you, though, you don’t see any difference – the whole point, after all, is that the pixels aren’t supposed to be individually identifiable – only the mesmerizing detail and smoothness of the graphics that leave other notebook displays, no matter how bright or colorful, looking crunchy and jagged. Viewing angles are broad enough that you might have to worry about those next to you on the plane glancing over and seeing what you’re working on.

As before true Retina mode on the MacBook Pro doesn’t actually give you 2560 x 1600 resolution. Instead, you get a simulated lower resolution which is smoother all round, since each pixel is in fact a cluster of smaller pixels.Yyou can optionally switch out of Retina mode and pick a higher effective resolution, though the 13-inch misses out on the 1920 x 1200 of the larger machine; instead, the maximum is 1680 x 1050, still impressive (and impressively detailed) for a relatively small notebook. Third party applications are available which will force the display resolution even higher, though are not officially supported by Apple.

Apple is quoting a 75-percent reduction in glare from its new Retina display, versus the previous MacBook Pro 13. In practice, there’s certainly fewer reflections, which adds up to more flexibility in where you can use the notebook. It’s not a true matte finish, mind, though by ramping up the brightness you can use it outdoors and still see what’s going on.

Performance

We actually have two new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina models on our test bench: the 2.5GHz Core i5-3210M dualcore (3MB L3 cache) and the 2.9GHz Core i7-3520M dualcore (4MB L3 cache). Each has 8GB of memory and supports Intel Turbo Boost, up to 3.1GHz and 3.6GHz respectively, and is running Mac OS 10.8.2.

We started with Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance. The Core i5 machine scored 6507 overall, while the Core i7 pushed that to 8238. It’s worth noting that the increases weren’t solely in the processor categories: the Core i7 model also recorded better memory scores, suggesting that it makes better use of the 8GB it has. Still, each is a fair step behind the 15-inch Retina model, which scored 12,970 with its 2.6GHz quadcore Core i7-3720QM and 8GB of memory. Performance was roughly on a par with the mid-2012 13-inch MacBook Air.

MacBook Pro 13 with Retina – Core i5 – Geekbench:

MacBook Pro 13 with Retina – Core i7 – Geekbench:

We then turned to Cinebench, which benchmarks processor and graphics performance with a mixture of 3D rendering and OpenGL testing. It’s a good way of examining how a system will handle intensive tasks such as video processing, or gaming.

The Core i5 model scored 2.12 CPU points, while the Core i7 scored 2.81 CPU points, or roughly half the result you’d expect from a quadcore processor. Unsurprisingly, with no discrete GPU, graphics performance showed the biggest hit, with the Core i5 managing 14.81fps and the Core i7 squeezing out 19.69fps.

By way of comparison, the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina’s NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M GPU saw it record a score of 34.30fps in the same category. The MacBook Air managed 16.41fps.

If you’re planning use your new Mac for serious graphics or video editing, our suggestion would be to stick to the larger Pro, as the standalone GPU pays dividends. Of course, it also requires more power, though it includes the same Intel HD Graphics 4000 chip for more everyday use.

Battery

While the battery in the MacBook Pro 13 Retina may be smaller than before – 74-watt-hour, or versus the 95-watt-hour of the 15-inch – the fact it’s driving a smaller screen and less extreme components means Apple rates it for the same runtime: up to seven hours of wireless web browsing, or 30 days standby. However, the 60-watt MagSafe 2 power adapter is slightly smaller and thus continues the theme of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina being easier to transport.

In practice, with a mixture of web browsing over WiFi, some music playback, a couple of YouTube videos and some emailing, and the display set to a usable half brightness, the Pro lasted just over six hours. Scaling that back to solely browsing and we broke past Apple’s seven hour estimate by a couple of minutes. In contrast, a more ambitious use of the notebook for video playback and some brief video processing in iMovie saw the battery expire in around four hours.

Wrap-Up

The $2,000 mark is an important mental barrier, and the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina’s $2,199 starting price put it out of consideration for many. In contrast, the 13-inch version starts at $1,699 with the 128GB flash drive, rising to $1,999 for the 256GB model.

Increasing storage isn’t cheap – you can boost the entry-level model to 768GB, yes, but it’ll cost you more than a MacBook Air to do so – but the $200 extra for the Core i7 dualcore strikes us as a worthy upgrade given the impact it has on performance overall. Apple still offers the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,199 with the same 2.5GHz Core i5 dualcore, though to specify the same memory and a 128GB SSD you’re looking at $1,499. You also get a gigabit ethernet port, FireWire, and an optical drive, though you miss out on the lighter chassis and far improved Retina display.

While the Air might be the smallest of Apple’s notebook line-up, the 13-inch Pro hits a more palatable sweet-spot for balancing power, performance, and functionality. At $1,699 and up, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display sits at the premium end of the notebook market ($500 less than the entry-level 15-inch model, mind, although you do get extra performance for that) but it does offer features that, right now, you can’t get elsewhere. Those for whom sheer power – particularly multimedia editing – is essential should probably opt for the bigger model, but those road warriors looking to pare back weight and bulk without unduly sacrificing usability will find a lot to love in the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display.

Today we had two massive companies deliver quarterly reports – Apple is looking pretty good despite a few under-performing sectors, but Amazon posted an operating loss of $28 million. Earlier in the day we heard that the LG Nexus 4 has a release date of October 30, and then more evidence of the rumored Nexus 10 surfaced in the form of a (supposed) quick start guide. iFixit gave the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display the teardown treatment today, while we heard whispers that Apple will launch a new online music service in 2013.

EE confirmed today that it will be offering the iPad mini and the iPad 4, and Nokia was seen touting its NAVTEQ True technology today. Nintendo revealed that it will be selling the Wii U at a loss, and we learned that T-Mobile’s Galaxy Note II has hardware support for LTE. Microsoft has turned Times Square into its own Windows 8 advertising space this evening, just in case you forgot that Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface are launching tomorrow.

Speaking of that launch, Microsoft laid out upgrade options for Windows 8 today, and told us that once we experience the glory of touch, we’ll want it on everything. Today Ubisoft told the world that Assassin’s Creed III is its most pre-ordered game ever (since Assassin’s Creed: Revelations at least), and we caught wind that the rumored Nexus 7 3G cleared the FCC. The Sony Xperia TL will be hitting AT&T on November 2, and finally tonight, the iPad Mini goes up for pre-order tomorrow, so be sure to get those in quickly if you want to get one at launch. That does it for tonight’s evening wrap-up, enjoy the rest of your night everyone!

Considering what we’ve already seen of the 15-inch version, which iFixit accused of introducing new levels of hands-off design, that the 13-inch model isn’t repair-friendly hardly comes as a surprise. The repair team calls out the glued-in battery – easier to get out than the bigger model, but still not easy – and the RAM being soldered to the logic board, which means no upgrades there.

Meanwhile, the display assembly is apparently “almost impossible to take apart” which means replacement, not repair, and Apple has used its proprietary “pentalobe” screws so that even just getting into the chassis is a struggle. Interestingly, iFixit reckons that – with a custom cable – you could “fit a regular 5 mm or 7 mm 2.5″ laptop drive” inside, though how many would actually want that is unclear.

As per the 15-incher, the new 13-inch Retina goes on sale alongside its optical drive toting predecessor, rather than replacing it, so users who want more flexibility in how they repair or generally tinker with their notebook do have a choice. Still, the extra resolution on offer from Retina graphics means most buyers are likely to be swayed over to the new design.

If you’d rather see the MacBook Pro 13 with Retina Display in one piece, check out our hands-on from the launch on Tuesday.

“Introducing the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with a stunning Retina display. For the pro in all of us.” The commercial is as simple and elegant as it is effective, providing just enough taste for the sleek-looking device to catch viewers’ attention while keeping the message cryptic enough to send the curious off in search of more info. The background is dark, amplifying the laptop’s display.

This new MacBook Pro features a 13.3-inch Retina display with a 227ppi resolution of 2,560 x 1,600. To put that in perspective, the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with Retina has a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800. The display offers wide viewing angles, and is exceptionally crisp. Check out our hands-on review for more info.

Screen aside, the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro featurs a dual-core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM for $1,699. The model has a 128GB SSD drive, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, and Intel HD Graphics 4000. The device weighs in at 3.57lbs.

Of course, the rest of the world keeps going when Apple holds an event, so there was plenty of non-Apple news to report today. Earlier in the day we heard that Zynga had laid off a significant number of employees, only to have the company confirms the layoffs later on. We found out today that Xbox Smartglass will arrive on October 26 – the same day as Windows 8 – and that Amazon will soon begin phasing out the Kindle Touch.

Oh hey there awesome Iron Man 3 trailer, when did you arrive? Dropbox for iOS has been updated to add full-resolution image downloads and support for iPhone 5, while Samsung and LG were tipped to release the first 1080p smartphones next year. ASUS gave us a ton of information on its upcoming Windows 8 machines today, and shortly afterward announced that it will be expanding its ZenBook series with two new models. Watch out for those, because ASUS is going to be a big Windows 8 name once the OS hits.

Facebook gave us its earnings report for Q3 today, as did Netflix, and Gearbox confirmed that Borderlands Legends is in fact a real iOS game. Microsoft has added the 250GB Xbox to its $99 subscription offering, and Digital Storm unveiled its new super-slim Bolt gaming PC. Dell has delivered prices for a lot of its Windows 8 machines, and today Sony started teasing its 4K CineAlta camcorder, which will be shown off at an event on October 30. Finally tonight, we get an up-close look at the iPad Mini’s thumb rejection technology and have a review of Microsoft Surface, so be sure to give that a read. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, enjoy the rest of your night everyone!

The screen size may be smaller – and lower resolution, too, at 2560 x 1600, though for an overall higher pixel density of 227ppi – but actually the 13-inch model is slightly thicker, at 0.75-inches. In contrast, the 15-inch Retina version is 0.71-inches thick. You don’t really notice the difference, however, and the advantage in weight, with near a full pound dropped, more than makes up for it.

We’ve been wowed before with Retina-level graphics, and the new MacBook Pro delivers the same impact. The mode most often used isn’t actually stretching things to 2560 x 1600, but instead offering an on-paper lower resolution but with smoother graphics all round. The result is clean icons and text of the sort you’ll struggle to find on a Windows notebook.

As before, those who want an integrated optical drive can still find a MacBook Pro to deliver that. The existing 13-inch model remains on sale, though you don’t get the Retina display. It’s also the cheaper option; the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina may be $500 less than the entry-level 15-inch version, but that still means a $1,699 starting price for the 128GB model, or $1,999 for the 256GB version.

Still, you’d have to really, really be addicted to CDs and DVDs to not prefer the form-factor and performance of the new Retina 13-incher. It demands few compromises in graphics processing, either, and further extends the distance between the Pro and the Air branches in Apple’s MacBook range. We’ll look forward to putting it through its paces when we have a review unit on hand.

This event showed iBooks app updated to a new version with Continuous Scrolling for the page-turn-weary. The Appstore that Apple releases this app in has reached 35 billion downloads while the Apple Mac is mentioned as taking the top spots in both notebooks and desktops across the USA.

On that desktop note, the iMac mini 2012 edition was revealed with Core i5 processors inside and starting in at $599 USD. The MacBook Pro with Retina display line was given a new Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro to take on another size market, now the 2nd highest definition display holder in the notebook segment as well. The entire MacBook family was priced as well. The iMac was refreshed with prices starting at $1,299 and busting out with a brand new super-thin body. This update works with a brand new Fusion Drive, a bit of the ol’ fabulous new-age technology on the innards.

The iPad was next on the blocks, of course with a sales number of 100 million units since the beginning. The next generation iPad 4 (or iPad 4th gen) will be working with an updated Apple A6X chip. The whole iPad family will benefit from the update to iBooks Author for authors joining the fun club.

Then of course there’s the iPad mini. This unit will be coming out for $329 for its wi-fi edition and $459 for 4G. Apple went directly for Google’s throat once the iPad mini was revealed with a straight up Nexus 7 vs iPad mini all-out fight on stage, and a full list of iPad wireless carrier partners was revealed as well.

Stay tuned to our giant Apple portal for more news as it pops up, including hands-on action with most or all of the devices listed above!

We’ll start with the all new MacBook Airs. 11-inchers come in at a pretty decent price, setting you back only $999, while the new 13-inch MacBook Airs will run $1,199. Though Apple revealed new MacBook Pros with Retina Display, the old Pros are sticking around, and as such have new prices. 13-inch MacBook Pros will cost $1,199, while the 15-inch models will come in at $1,799.

Finally, we come to the Retina MacBook Pros, specifically the the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Taking one of those home will cost you $1,699, while if you want the 15-inch model, you’ll have to plop down $2,199. Not too bad, but we have a feeling that some will find those prices a little difficult to swallow. Still, $1,699 was considered by many to be the sweet spot for 13-inch MacBook Pros with Retina Display, and it seems that Apple has hit it. Stay tuned for more information straight from Apple’s event, and be sure to check out our Apple hub to get all of the news from today!

The new model features some of the same features that you’ll find on the 15-inch Retina-equipped MacBook Pro, like the MagSafe 2 power connector, Thunderbolt ports (two of them on the 13-incher), HDMI output, and two USB 3.0 ports. There’s also no optical drive in this one, so if you’re still relying on CDs and DVDs to work your magic, you’ll be sadly disappointed.

Apple claims that the Retina display on its new 13-inch MacBook Pro is the second-highest resolution of any laptop display in the world — the first being the company’s 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro that they unveiled earlier this year. It offers nearly two times the resolution of a 1080p display. Plus, Apple says the screen has a 29% higher contrast ratio over the regular model and 75% reduced glare.

Obviously, the new model still has the FaceTime front-facing webcam that shoots 720p HD video, as well as a backlit keyboard, a stereo mic, and stereo speakers that are placed on the sides of the laptop instead of the back like previous models. As far as performance specs, we’re looking at up to 768GB of SSD storage, 8GB of RAM, an Intel Core i5 or i7 Ivy Bridge chips, HD 4000 graphics, and 802.11n WiFi with Bluetooth 4.0.

Battery life is expected to be around 7 hours, and the base model will cost you $1,699, which comes with a 2.5GHz Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. Bump it up to 256GB for $300 more. The laptop will ship today and is available for ordering.

Earlier this month we mentioned the 13-inch model was on track for this year, but now it’s official. While the news is just dropping we have a few quick specs to share with everyone. This 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro comes with a 13-inch 2560 x 1600 truly impressive HD display. Being the second highest resolution laptop available. Apple’s 15-inch being the first.

Compared to the previous 13-inch MBP, the Retina MBP is just .75-inches thick, 20% thinner than the previous generation. It’s an entire pound lighter than last years, being just 3.75 lbs. You’ll get USB 20, USB 3.0, HDMI out, Magsafe, SD card reader, and 7 hours of battery life. All while being thinner, lighter, but way more pixels.

Apple’s going over all the details as we speak but options include Intel’s new dual-core i5 or i7, HD 4000 for graphics, WiFi, BT, 8GB Memory, and all models come with SSD flash storage. No old-school slow hard drives here. Stay tuned for more details. Oh and these are shipping TODAY starting at $1699.

Cook revealed the sales stats news today at the company’s iPad mini event, which also saw a new MacBook Pro 13-inch Retina Display model revealed. Apple credits the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display for part of its sales success, though both desktops and notebooks have been selling well.

In fact, Apple struggled to keep the Retina Display MacBook Pro 15 in stock when it first hit shelves, with demand outstripping supply. That’s despite a premium price tag at the top end of the MacBook Pro line-up, though Apple did reportedly have issues getting the high-resolution screens it needed from suppliers.

Still, not all of Apple’s line-up has been so blessed with regular updates. The Mac Pro, for instance, has languished for years without a refresh, amid persistent rumors that Apple would like to delete the pro-desktop completely.

This update to the MacBook Pro with Retina display line will have at least three different iterations, each of them with different amounts of Flash storage. The processor speed will remain constant across the two lower models, while the third will have the only processor boost. This update works with many of the same hardware upgrades that the 15-inch version has, but we’ll have to wait on the full run-down from Apple.

• 2.5 GHz, 128GB of Flash storage, 8GB of RAM
• 2.5 GHz, 256 GB of Flash storage, 8GB of RAM
• 2.9 GHz, 512GB of Flash storage, 8GB of RAM

These three models will be available for order right after the event is complete and we’ll be grabbing the full specifications right as they’re dropped by Apple. Stay tuned to our Apple portal for all the hot action, and don’t forget to check out our full Retina display-toting MacBook Pro review right this minute – that’s the larger version, mind you.

The listing also shows a Lighting digital AV adapter as well as a Lightning to VGA adapter, this likely preparing the iPhone 5 and new iPads for large-screen mirroring abilities. There’s a Lightning to USB Camera adapter also, this matching the USB Host abilities of the Lighting port on the iPhone 5 and likely the iPad 3 (and refresh) and iPad mini as well. The same is true of the Lighting to SD Card camera reader unit, this ready for SD card reading on your iPad and iPhone too – we shall see!

Apple will likely be placing this whole collection of adapters to the online Apple store later today after the main event. This event has been rumored to contain not just an iPad mini and an iPad 3 refresh (with Lighting port), but a new Mac mini and iMac as well, not to mention the first appearance of the MacBook Pro with Retina display in a 13-inch iteration.

Stick with us all day long for the big event that starts at 10AM PST. We’ve got our Apple portal ready for action and will have up-to-the-minute updates right here in the main news feed as well.

The big news – or little news, really – is the smaller iPad, which we’re expecting to come in at 7.85-inches and have some impressive justification as to why Steve Jobs well-circulated comments that “tweener” tablets are pointless don’t hold true with this homegrown model.

The new MacBook Pro 13R isn’t the only piece of OS X-related hardware tipped, either: there’s been chatter of an iMac refresh, and potentially a new Thunderbolt Display, though sources can’t agree on whether Apple’s supply chain is up to providing 21.5-inch or larger Retina-resolution LCD IPS panels for the desktops. Apple’s Mac mini could also be due a tweak, with whispers of improved performance without a physically larger box.

Apple has surprised us this morning by quietly announcing that Apple TV owners will be able to watch a livestream of the whole event via the set-top box. It’s unclear at this stage whether any other Apple device owner will have access to the same stream, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for you.

On Monday, we reported that it looks like Apple will be unveiling the 13-inch Retina version of the MacBook Pro on October 23rd next week, in addition to the iPad Mini. This comes after the delay Apple experienced in slowed production due to a rumored issue at Foxconn. The 13″ MacBook Pro with Retina was specifically listed as one of the devices affected.

In September, it was reported that the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina was being shipped by suppliers. Then, in October, it was said that the device was still on track for the year despite the delay. Earlier today it was tipped that the device will be priced at $1,699, which is $500 higher than the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The images that appeared at Weiphone show the device as having a MagSafe 2 port, two Thunderbolt ports, two USB ports, an HDMI slot, and an SD card reader. The Retina display has a resolution of 2,560×1,600. The images also show 8GB of Elpida RAM, as well as a battery cell layout.

This new MacBook Pro will be significantly thinner than its predecessor. It’ll have some downward and outward-facing head vents and will be working with a Thunderbolt port, of course. You’ll be working with USB 3.0 (one or two ports, we shall see) and a full-sized HDMI port as well. This version of the MacBook Pro will be working with the newest version of the power cord that Apple presents as as the most advanced and physically sensible version yet.

You’ve also got a full-sized SD card reader and a headphone jack – and remember, all of this information comes from the look we’ve had at the MacBook Pro with Retina display we’ve already had a look at – all 15 inches of display that it is. This device has a whole new fan system inside, it’s got a whole new upgraded processor under the hood, and some lovely NVIDIA GeForce action for graphics, too. Benchmarks on the 15-inch version we’ve reviewed already showed the newer version to out-do the older version by a significant margin in several areas.

The battery time will be the same as the previous model, the design will replicate the 15-inch model, and the unit will more than likely be up for sale well in advance of the holiday season. Have a peek at our recent posts regarding this unit in the timeline below and feel free to bet on it being shown off next week. Join us on the 23rd to see how it all goes down, we’ll be covering the Apple event live!

This event will likely center around an update to the whole Apple range, with the iPad mini coming with a Lightning connector and a refreshed iPad coming with Lightning as well. There have been several other rumors surrounding this event including a new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro that’s essentially the same as the one released earlier this year – but smaller. It’s not that Apple wants to get tiny here in the Autumn of 2012, but they’re certainly not going to let the competition swipe their legs out from under them.

Apple has over the past year concentrated on becoming thinner and sharper, with the iPhone 5 becoming taller yet smaller and the Retina MacBook Pro getting smaller as it gets much higher definition in its display. This event will steal some fire away from Microsoft simply based on its timing as well with the release of Windows 8 set for the 26th of this month.

Have a peek at the timeline below to track what we’ve heard and been tipped on for the iPad mini over the past few weeks, and stay tuned for the final event as well. We’ll be on-site with all the coverage you could possible want from start to finish right here on SlashGear!

In fact, we have rumors on rumors with invitations to this rumored Apple event tipped to go out tomorrow. Today another new rumor has surfaced that ties in with the iPad mini event, and this rumor claims there will be a new MacBook Pro unveiled alongside the new smaller iPad. This rumor claims that a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina Display will be shown at the event as well.

The tip on the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the high-resolution Retina display comes from what 9to5Mac calls consistently re source at high-profile US retailer. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is claimed to have a thinner and lighter enclosure similar to that of the 15-inch MacBook Pro models ever released in June. The source claims that there’ll be two models of the 13-inch notebook unveiled.

The two different configurations will offer different processors and storage options and should be available to purchase soon after introduction. The source also claims that the new Retina display 13-inch MacBook Pro will be sold at a price higher than existing 13-inch units and the current machines will remain available. Last week, rumors are circulating that the 13-inch MacBook Pro with retina display and the iPad mini were delayed due to production issues. However, the MacBook was later tipped to still be coming this year.

[via 9to5Mac]

If you’ve been waiting for either the DROID RAZR HD or the RAZR MAXX HD, good news: you’ll be able to pick them up from Verizon in just one short week. The Samsung Galaxy S III Mini was officially unveiled today, though its specs aren’t much to write home about, and we learned that the sales ban on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has been lifted. Google boss Eric Schmidt expects Android to hit 1 billion activations within the next year, and today Sprint confirmed that it has been in buyout talks with SoftBank.

Apple has released a new iPod ad called “Bounce,” while Nokia was busy delivering prices for its Lumia 920 and 820 accessories in the UK. Apple was awarded an interesting new patent today, and Verizon says that it will keep its 2G/3G service active until at least 2021. Today Acer revealed both the new M5 and V5 lines of Windows 8 notebooks, and we heard that at one point, Nokia was planning to bring an N9 MeeGo tablet to Verizon.

Facebook is looking to improve its apps with stricter Open Graphs policies, and Gearbox announced a new DLC pack for good ol’ Borderlands 2 today. Ubisoft delivered a new trailer showing off the weapons in Assassin’s Creed III, while a new compilation called the Rockstar Games Collection: Edition 1 was announced. Anonymous has apparently gone to war with Facebook, bringing down the social network across Europe today, but thankfully it seems that things are slowly coming back online. Finally tonight, we go hands-on with both the Huawei Ascend D Quad XL and SHADOWGUN: DEADZONE‘s new multiplayer beta, while Chris Burns tells us why the Galaxy S III Mini represents a missed opportunity for Samsung. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, go out and enjoy the rest of your night everyone!

Analyst Richard Shim from research firm NPD DisplaySearch says that production for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro will be enough to warrant a launch sometime before the year is up, specifically sometime this fall. Whether or not production was actually delayed isn’t known, but apparently it won’t affect the product’s release schedule.

Shim also had some insights on a few specifications of the new 13-inch MacBook Pro model. It’s said to boast a 2560×1600 resolution, which is only slightly smaller than the 15-inch model‘s display of 2880×1800. The new 13-inch model is also said to be priced between a top-of-the-line 13-inch non-Retina model and a current top-of-the-line 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display.

Other than that, Shim thinks that the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro will be announced after the iPad Mini, but since Apple didn’t send out invitations yesterday like we thought, we’re still not sure when the company plans on actually unveiling the rumored iPad Mini. All we can say is that an impending announcement is sure to come soon (we hope).

[via AppleInsider]

It’s said that that both Foxconn and Pegatron aren’t able to get suitable yelds for the display and chassis of the iPad Mini and aren’t able to keep up with Apple’s large orders, which is the cause of the delay. Foxconn has always seen difficulties in keeping up with the demand of Apple products, but this would be the first time in a while that we’ve heard of a production delay.

The rumored 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is also said to be affected by the delay as well. Both Foxcoon and Pegatron are seeing low yields with Retina displays, and it’s said that the new laptop has already been delayed a month so far, which makes us believe that the delay is more serious than expected.

The iPhone 5 has already been rumored to be in a slower production mode, after Apple and Foxconn decided to crack down on inspection and benchmark regulations for the new device after users were complaining of scuffs and scratches out of the box. If Apple is hoping to release their new products in time for the holiday season, let’s hope they make the deadline, but delays certainly aren’t going to make it easier to do so.

[via DigiTimes]

The design of the Apple, for those of you that don’t remember all the way back to last year, comes from designer Jonathan Mak – or at least is based upon that design per their press release. This set of three notebooks is all the same, each model coming with 2.7GHz configurations, 16GB memory, and a 750GB solid state drive inside. Each model is made with essentially the same components as the normal MacBook Pro with Retina display, but the Apple logo on the top cover is laser-cut to create the face of Jobs.

The proceeds will be split between the charity Get It Done and another group by the name of SellanApp where it’ll be working with developers working on iOS apps that specifically “don’t have a direct business model, but have a clear societal value.” The bottom of the notebook will also include the following inscription laser-cut into the metal:

“When you grow up you, tend to get told that the world is the way it is and your life is just to live your life inside the world, try not to bash into the walls too much, try to have a nice family, have fun, save a little money. That’s a very limited life. Life can be much broader, once you discover one simple fact, and that is that everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.” – Steve Jobs

This is just one of a vast collection of tributes that have been made to Jobs over the past year, with today’s one-year anniversary of his passing making the world once again remember his impact. Of course according to Apple, his influence doesn’t just stop at the idea that everything from his design knowledge to his leadership skills are still being studied today. His design influence in each of the major products in the field being released even today had Jobs hand in them well before they came to fruition.

Have a peek at the small timeline below for more Steve Jobs tributes and memories from the past year, and let us know if you feel that a MacBook Pro with Retina Display is a fabulous way to remember the man’s visage. Also let us know if you plan on picking up one of these three 12 thousand dollar notebooks.

This device will be appearing as a 13.3-inch Mac-based pen tablet computer. You’ve got a 64GB solid-state drive inside, upgrade possible to 480GB internal SSD storage, and a ship-date for online purchases of the device for as early as mid-November. This device combines the original hardware of an Apple MacBook Pro with OS X Mountain Lion with a digitizer from Wacom for 512 levels of pen pressure sensitivity. Also in the mix is a ForceGlass pen interface and the ability to work with Microsoft Windows 7 as well.

If you purchase the base configuration of this machine, you’ll be getting Modbook Inc’s own original 64GB Nishara-class SATA 3 SSD with NAND technology – and you’ve got the option to work with a bigger more powerful beast as well, of course, with up to 480GB of storage. With NAND technology you’ll have the best speed and performance available with flash-based storage, and you’ll have no moving parts – better for the long run.

Sales of this Modbook Pro will begin on Wednesday and will have customers living in the United States – or at least whose mailing addresses are in the USA – getting shipment in starting in November. The Modbook team lets everyone know the following about each Modbook purchase, and makes it clear that this is not an original product in and of itself, but a modification of a product originally manufactured by Apple.

The Modbook Pro is an enclosure conversion kit designed to exclusively contain an original MacBook Pro base system manufactured by Apple Inc. Apple Inc.’s one-year warranty on the base system is voided by the conversion and replaced with the Modbook Pro Protection Plan, which covers the entire hardware solution, including the base system.

Let us know if you’re into the idea of the Modbook Pro, or if you think people should just stick with the iPad and leave the real power to the notebook universe!

What you’re seeing here is a car smashing directly through the window and the front security gate at an Apple Store in Temecula, California. Once the vehicle enters the building, a passenger proceeds to grab a handful of iPhones as well as what appears to be a MacBook Pro or two before noticing that – oops – the vehicle’s driver appears to be stuck. The vehicle gets caught inside the store for right around a minute, driving back and forth, smashing the gate until it finally gives way.

Now there are several things we must wonder. First, will Apple keep the tire tracks on the floor as a positive reminder that customers should look both ways before hanging out in front of the store? Two – and remember that this robbery occurred well after store hours – what kind of sentence are these robbers looking at? Reports thus far say that the robber – at least one of them – has pled not guilty even with multiple camera angles essentially condemning him on the spot.

Once you do have a glance at the video, remind yourself that no Apple product is awesome enough to smash your multi-thousand-dollar vehicle through the front of a store to grab. There’s no possible way that the damage inflicted on the car – and now soon on the robbers – will be offset by the equipment they grabbed from Apple. Of course they won’t get to keep that either, so it’s pretty much a total loss for them – Apple crime doesn’t pay!

[via ZDnet]

Cook started with OS X Mountain Lion, saying that since its release, 7 million people have downloaded a copy. That makes Mountain Lion the fastest selling Apple release of all time, definitely something worth bragging about. The new MacBook Pro with Retina Display – which Apple says is the best Mac it has ever made – and the MacBook Air have been doing quite well too.

So well, in fact, that Apple says its notebooks are now in first place as far as US market share is concerned. To get specific, that’s a 27% market share for its notebooks, and Cook says that for the past 6 years straight, Mac has grown “significantly faster” than PC has. That definitely isn’t bad, and you can bet that Apple will look to keep that growth up with future Mac releases. Be sure to tune into our liveblog for up-to-the minute updates straight from Apple’s press event, and have a look at our Apple portal for more in-depth coverage!

If they’re shipping now, it seems a little hard to believe that they won’t launch until October, but according DigiTimes’ sources, Apple wants to launch both of these new computers in time to take advantage of both the back-to-school and holiday shopping rushes. Perhaps these new Macs will get a reveal at Apple’s big event on Wednesday?

Apple supposedly had three different iMacs planned for this new line, but due to production issues with the panels for “the high-end model,” Apple has pushed that one back, and will only launch the mid-range and entry-level models for the time being. Keep in mind that these new iMacs aren’t expected to boast Retina Display, but this new rumor does claim that at least the high-end model is getting an upgraded CPU along with those new displays that have caused this delay. Unfortunately, these supply sources weren’t able to give a launch window for the delayed all-in-one model.

We’ve heard rumors of a new display for the iMac in the past, so that part about the new displays causing issues seems at least somewhat plausible. As for the rest, we’ll just have to wait and see where this rumor goes. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait much longer to find out, as Apple’s event is now just two days away. With all of the rumors floating around, the event certainly seems like it will hold much more than just the introduction of the iPhone 5, so stay tuned and be sure to follow our liveblog of the event starting at 10 AM PST on Wednesday morning!

Whereas production of the high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display was comparatively low, in partial response to the notebook’s very high starting price, Apple appears to be aiming for the more mainstream market with the new, smaller model. “With 15.4 it’s production of a few hundred thousand units” Shin commented, “versus one to two million for the 13.3.”

That could see the smaller Retina model escape the supply order backlog that affected the original, larger model. Online orders of the notebook were prolonged to up to four weeks, with Apple surprised by the extent of demand.

Exactly which company is providing the panel is unclear, though both Samsung and LG Display are known to be working with Apple on Retina-branded screen technology, and Shin says Sharp is also involved. The 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro will run at a lower resolution than the 15-inch – 2,560 x 1,600 versus 2,880 x 1,800 – but the more compact screen size will mean the individual pixels are equally as difficult to identify to the human eye.

Benchmarks for the mysterious new MacBook Pro were spotted online in recent months, fueling rumors of an imminent launch. The MacBook Pro 13 with Retina would be cheaper and likely less powerful than the current version, though likely lighter and more portable as well.

Once you do upgrade, you’ll find that you’re running just a bit quicker and that several bugs you may or may not have noticed recently are completely fixed up. Apple’s upgrade list includes several small fixes as well as an “unexpected quit” error appearing in Migration Assistant more often than the software and hardware company was comfortable with. Per Apple, their upgrade list reads as follows.

• Resolve an issue that may cause Migration Assistant to unexpectedly quit
• Improve compatibility when connecting to a Microsoft Exchange server in Mail
• Address an issue playing audio through a Thunderbolt display
• Resolve an issue that could prevent iMessages from being sent
• Address an issue that could cause the system to become unresponsive when using Pinyin input
• Resolve an issue when connecting to SMB servers with long names
• Address a issue that may prevent Safari from launching when using a Proxy Automatic Configuration (PAC) file
• Improve 802.1X authentication with Active Directory credentials.

NOTE: Check out our full OS X Mountain Lion review if you’ve not already downloaded the software yourself – it’s a winner!

For a full list of upgrades, you can head to Apple’s full upgrade page at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5418, and note that Apple suggests that you do a full back up of your system before you initiate this upgrade as well. Selecting your Apple Menu and Software Update will also reveal any other software updates available to you via Apple’s own server.

Software updates for 3rd party applications can be found in your Apple App Store application – Software Update works specifically with Apple-loaded software. If you’re uncomfortable with the Software Update process, you can also use Apple’s Manual Update software to make it all smooth.

[via Apple]

This feat comes after an all-time high share price was reached for a second consecutive session today for Apple, reaching up to $664.74 in the morning hours. The highest that Apple has gotten with their market capitalization total today (thus far) has been $623.1 billion. We’re expecting Microsoft to be left in the dust, at this point, but of course it must be recognized that with cash adjustments for time, the latter company might still be on top.

Comparing such things is like comparing the Dream Team to the 2012 USA Olympic basketball team, however, as Microsoft’s current value just is not up for snuff. Apple shares are currently continuing to stay on the rise as they head towards an Autumn season with several new launches (if the rumors are all true). Apple may well have a new iPad mini, iPhone, and more by the time the holiday season begins.

Apple surpassed Exxon earlier this year to be the fifth company in history to have a market capitalization higher than $500 billion. Have a peek at our Apple portal to see what the company has been up to lately, and get pumped up about their new line of devices which may very well be released inside the next month!

[via Mercury News]

This comprehensive collection of guards for your device will keep your display, your keys, and the area under your wrists ready for action and looking fabulous. This is always the aim with the folks at Moshi, a group that aims for fashionability and great aesthetics in their designs whether they’re made to protect or made to connect with your electronic gadgets.

With the PalmGuard you’ve got the following key features ready for action:

• Color-matched with the MacBook’s aluminum finish
• Precisely machined to cover the entire palm rest area
• Comes bundled with a matching protective film for the MacBook’s trackpad
• Semi-rigid film protects against grease, dust, and stains, scratches and corrosion
• Durable, can last through multiple re-applications

The ClearGuard keyboard protector keeps your keyboard clean with high transparency film that’s just 0.1mm thin. This cover is made of thermoplastic urethan (durable, non-toxic, engineering-grade) and is both washable and reusable.

Finally you’ll find that the iVisor Pro for the Retina MacBook Pro (15-inch version, of course), you’ll get guaranteed bubble-free installation “with minimum effort.” This iVisor Pro is updated with a new bit of multilayer coating over Moshi’s previous solution, here bringing on screen clarity with glare reduction in tow. This solution also has the ability to be washed and re-applied more than once, with Moshi’s own “resilient polymer adhesive” making it all possible.

You can check them all out over at Moshi’s product page right this minute, and don’t forget to head down to our timeline of Moshi products as well to keep up to date on all things fashion-friendly!