Apple held an event in California today providing announcements to their line of products. Some were to be expected, others……..weren’t. Nevertheless, Apple made it known that they were (in their own words) “not going to take our foot off the gas.” So let’s give a short rundown on what they announced today.

13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina Display (Late 2012)

Apple confirmed a rumor that was circling around for the last few weeks of a new Retina Display 13-inch MacBook Pro. It provides the same piece of featured hardware as its 15-inch counterpart. The resolution is marked at 2560 x 1600 as it was expected earlier. It comes with a dual-core 2.5GHz Intel i5 processor with a option to upgrade to 2.9GHz. It provides an 8GB RAM with two flash storage options of 128GB or 256GB, also of which provide the option of 512GB or 768GB. Prices for it start at $1600 and goes up from there.

My Take

This was eventually coming when Apple decided to release the 15-inch version back in the summer. I think it was the right move by Apple. However, I still think it was also the best move to continue to keep the legacy MacBook Pro lineup as is, at least for now. When the new upgrades come next year, I expect Apple to finally cut it loose. So, for those that still want a legacy Pro, this is your (maybe last) chance to get one now if you still want the optical drive built-in. We’ll get to that optical drive topic in just a moment.

Mac Mini (Late 2012)

Using the same design as before, a new Mac Mini refresh was updated to support the latest technology in Thunderbolt, 4 USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and the rest. It comes with Intel HD Graphics 4000, along with dual-core 2.5GHz i5 processor. There will be a standard and a server version like before with the price nearly the same starting at $599.

My Take

It’s good to see Apple didn’t forget about the “forgotten Mac” in their lineup. It’s really an under-appreciated piece of hardware. With Apple touting their notebook and other desktop lineups, the Mac Mini does pack a punch for the cheap price. If you’re really on a budget, still want the latest Mac experience, but don’t want to buy a refurbished Mac, pin your interest on this particular computer. I think you’ll be surprised to see what it can do.

The New iMac (Late 2012)

After months (maybe even the better part of a year) of speculation, Apple has announced a redesigned version of the iMac, introducing a new generation of desktop Macs. This new iMac provides a thinner look with a similar back as the 3rd Gen iPad. It comes with a 21.5 inch and a 27 inch, with 1TB as the standard starting storage. Apple also introduced a new option for storage with what is known as the “Fusion Drive.” It combines a HDD drive and a SSD drive into one combo drive that can be used for storing apps and files. 8GB of RAM and NVIDIA graphics comes inside with 4 USB 3.0 ports, 2 Thunderbolt ports, along with WIFI 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0. Because of its new thin design, Apple removed the optical drive from it, adding more confirmation that they are, indeed, moving away from it for good. Starting prices for the new iMac is $1200-$1400 for the 21.5 inch, for release in November, $1799-$1999 for the 27-inch, for release in December.

My Take

I’ve seen tons of forums around the internet asking for a worthy update to the iMac lineup. Although it is great they went with a redesign, it’s a bit disappointing they did not add Retina Display on those screens. This could’ve made nearly their entire lineup all Retina-friendly. Seems they really dropped the ball on that one. I don’t know if there were issues that were previously reported about screen development problems with the maker of it or not. Still, it would have been nice to see the addition of Retina Display on there.

iPad 4th Generation (Late 2012)

Apple announced what probably was the shock of the day with a new iPad tablet to replace “the best selling iPad ever” new iPad that was released earlier this year. Not much has changed, except the improvements on hardware speed. The 4th Gen iPad comes with an A6X processor chip that delivers twice the speed and graphics.

My Take

This was a complete surprise move by Apple that, I must say, was disappointing. The 3rd generation iPad was just released back in March of this year, and Apple touted today that it was the best selling iPad. So I’m a bit taken back as to why Apple would suddenly decide to replace it with a new one that doesn’t change much of anything from the previous model. I think Apple really could’ve done without it, as many people who bought the 3rd Gen within the last 7 months will be very angry that their new tablet isn’t so new anyone in such a short amount of time.

iPad Mini (Late 2012)

Finally to end things, Apple released the iPad Mini. It was the biggest story coming into the event as to what it would be like and how much would it cost. This new smaller iPad comes with a 7.9 inch screen with a 1024 x 768 screen resolution and a dual-core A5 processor, same as the iPad 2. The form is similar to that of the new iPhone with a similar back. It comes with nearly the same features: 720p FaceTime HD camera, 5 MP iSight camera and 1080p video recording. It uses the same Lightning connection as the iPhone with cables that can connect to a USB, SD, HDMI and VGA ports. Pricing of the new iPad Mini starts at $329 for the 16GB, $429 for 32GB and $529 for 64GB. It will also come with a LTE version starting at $459. Pre-orders will be available this Friday, October 26 for release next Friday, November 2.

My Take

It was only a matter of time for Apple to step into the 7 inch market. And this iPad Mini was their answer. Though I’m sure many people will buy it, I have to ask this simple question…….why? Apple went with the decision to NOT make it Retina and made it 1024 x 768. That’s still lower resolution than Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD. The price of it is a bit steep, but you are paying a premium when you buy an Apple product, period. I just think with more of the competition providing some better options, the iPad Mini could’ve really killed it with the price being $299, 32GB storage, and 1280 x 800 resolution. That would have been the best possible option that competitors wouldn’t be able to match. From the way I see it, the only thing it shines in is the quality cameras and the use of iBooks being serviced for it. Off-topic, iBooks in itself is a much bigger deal than most realize as Apple seems to quietly plan on revolutionizing the educational textbook market like they did with the music industry.

Overall

This was a very interesting event for Apple and an interesting year in general. There were some hits and misses, but Apple refreshed just about everything in their arsenal to try to make this holiday season that much more interesting, as if it wasn’t already. The new Retina MacBook Pro is nice, the iMac is thin and interesting, but could’ve added the Retina screen, the 4th Gen iPad isn’t necessary and the iPad Mini could’ve had a little bit more. In a market in which it’s still a bit confusing as to which tablet is the right one for someone, ask yourself these key questions:

1) Do I want a big tablet or a small tablet?
2) Do I like Google & Android or Apple & iOS?
3) How much am I willing to pay for a tablet?

Once these questions are answered, I think it will make the decision that much easier. I won’t say go one way or the other. That is up to many to decide. As for Apple, it could only look good for them ending the 4th quarter of this 2012 year and have an interesting look at 2013. Will they be able to revolutionize again to the point where the competition is not even close? We shall see. Let the Tim Cook era continue…..