Tag: imac

Apple Upgrades The iMac With New Processors And GPU

Apple has released an update to the existing lineup of its iMacs. These computers have been upgraded with up to Intel Core 9th Generation processors and AMD GPUs. Notably, this update is applicable to the 21.5 inch and 27 inch iMacs across all models. This update arrives after they were last updated in 2017, nearly two years ago.

Updated Apple iMacs

The new iMacs have substantial hardware upgrades from the inside. The 21.5 inch iMac now has the 8th Generation Intel Quad-core i3 or the six core i5 CPU. In terms of graphics, the computer has either a Radeon Pro 555X GPU or a Radeon Pro 560X by default. There is also a configurable custom model with up to a six-core Intel i7 processor, 32GB RAM and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 GPU with 4GB memory. Notably, the specifications options of the 21.5 inch iMac are the same what Apple did with the refreshed Mac Mini.

The 27 inch iMac gets an even more significant upgrade, with a default six-core Intel i5 processor. There is also an option to upgrade to the latest 9th Gen Intel processors which have a six and eight core CPU variant. Apple claims that this will provide up to 2.4 times faster performance than the previous generation. GPU options include a Radeon Pro 570X, 575X and 580X for prebuilt variants. For the custom configuration build, there is an option of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 GPU with 8GB of memory. The graphics performance of the 27 inch iMac is claimed to be 50 percent faster than the previous generation.

Both the sizes of the new iMacs have the macOS Mojave preinstalled. It is the latest version of the operating system by Apple. Both sizes also retain the display with a 4K resolution. These displays have support for the P3 wide colour gamut and have a peak brightness of 500 nits.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: What Are VPNs, And Should You Use One?

The new 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K display starts at US$1,299 (INR 119,900 in India) and the new 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display starts at US$1,799 (INR 169,900 in India). Both will be available starting next week, through Apple Authorised Resellers in the country.

March 19, 2019
Apple Sends Invites For October 30th Event : New iMacs & iPads Expected

Apple has sent out media invites for an October 30th event. The invites sent out to people had different versions of the Apple logo design. They only had one line stating “There’s more in the making”. We feel this would see the launch of the new iPad, Mac Mini and more. The event is for next Tuesday, October 30. It will be taking place at New York’s Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilman Opera House. Apple usually launches products right before the holidays since they cannot fit in all the product launches in the flashier and much more peppier iPhone launches every year.

What to expect

Apple leak experts say that one can expect new iPad models. Apple might ditch the home button on the iPad, like they did on their iPhones. A news website that follows Apple closely has also stated that the launch may involve several Mac models and the iPad Pro. If they decide to do away with the home button, one can expect the Face ID technology to be a part of the iPad. Reports also suggest that this year’s iPad Pro will switch over from Lightning to USB-C.

There might also be a new successor to the Macbook Air with slimmer bezels and a high resolution Retina display. A new Mac Mini is in the making and it might see it’s release in this event as well. The company may also share details for iOS 12.1 and the upcoming watchOS update. Speculations suggest that iPads may have been used to create the unique invite designs, which Apple often markets as devices to create and explore for artists.

We are not sure why the Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple Park is not chosen for the event as is usual and why instead Apple is headed to Brooklyn!

October 19, 2018
Apple Will Make It Own Chipsets To Power Mac Devices By 2020

Most of the Notebook manufacturers use either Intel or AMD chipset. However, recently, companies like HP and Asus has started to launch notebook based on the Qualcomm chipsets. According to a report, Apple might replace the Intel processors on Macs to use its custom ARM chipsets. When Apple started making MacBooks and iMacs, the company initially used Motorola and IBM’s PowerPC chipsets. However, in 2005 Apple switched to Intel processor-based Macs.

The report suggests that the company is working on a new project named ‘Kalamata.’ The project is still in a nascent stage and this will help Apple to achieve seamless integration across its lineup including iPhone, iPad, iMac, and MacBook. This would also affect Intel, as 5% of its overall revenue generated comes from Apple. As soon as this news was out, Intel’s shares were down by 9.2%, which is the biggest intraday drop in the last two years.

However, Intel has not spoken a word about this development, and played safe:

We don’t comment on speculation about our customers

Apple Custom Chipset Specs

The processors will be manufactured by TSMC, which is the manufacturer of Apple A series chipsets for iPhones and iPads. These chipsets will use Arm’s technology. These processors are expected to offer better battery life and it will ease out the transition of unifying the iOS and macOS. The unification will be achieved using a new platform called ‘Marzipan’, which will be expected to go live in WWDC 2018 for developers.

Most of the notebook manufacturers like HP, Dell, and Asus wait for Intel or AMD to launch its latest chipset. If Apple develops its own chipset, then the company can be ahead of the competition. This will have a positive impact on Apple, as the company will have an all-around control over the components required for designing a device. This also means that the company will be able to launch newer Mac models with its own time frame. Additionally, this will help the company to integrate iOS and macOS on chipset level.

April 3, 2018
New Apple Macs, MacBooks and Peripherals Launching Oct 27th

Apple will be holding an event on the 27th of October to launch the new revised and refreshed lineup of iMacs MacBooks and possibly new Peripherals like a new Airport Express and Extreme. The October 27 launch will start at 10:30PM IST, and will be available to watch via live streaming.

Rumours have pointed to a new design MacBook pro with a customisable OLED touch panel above the keyboard. Along with new hardware to match up with the latest est offerings from Intel. The new power button on the new Macs, will supposedly have a Touch ID sensor for added security. It is also speculated that the new Macs will ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack in order to make them extremely slim.

Leaked Macbook Case

There are also reports of a iMac Retina refresh with added Thunderbolt 3 ( USB Type C) with the newer hardware and added performance capability, Apple plans to remove the 11 inch MacBook Air from it’s lineup and add a new 13 inch model with USB Type C ports. Apple may also launch the new Apple TV which is expected to enable Apple Video, much like Apple Music a subscription service to take on the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Apple is also said to finally refresh it’s dying Thunderbolt Display with a new refreshed 5K monitor which will have an integrated GPU. All refreshes will be covered on iGyaan so mark your calendars for Oct 27th.

October 20, 2016
Apple Announces New iMacs, Including the Awaited 21.5-inch 4K Model

Apple wowed us with their event back in September and kept the suspense alive as they remained tight lipped about the iMacs that were not released at the time. Well, the wait is over and they are here!
Apple launched its new Retina 4K display for the 21.5-inch iMac and a 5K display for the 27-inch iMac in California, today.

The much anticipated display makes photos and videos even more crystal clear than they were in the pervious iMacs. The exterior of the iMacs sport Thunderbolt 2 ports and more storage options that makes the desktop look promising.

In addition to this, Apple also announced a number of wireless accessories like the Magic keyboard 2, Magic Mouse 2 and (obviously) Magic Trackpad 2. These devices, we guess, are magical due to the fact that they have rechargeable batteries and require no aid of disposable batteries, whatsoever.

We saw the introduction of Force Touch technology to the iPhone 6s and Apple has taken that a step forward by introducing the technology to the Magic Trackpad of the desktop.

Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president, Worldwide marketing said:

“From the first iMac to today, the spirit of iMac has never wavered — deliver the ultimate desktop experience with the latest technologies, gorgeous displays and cutting-edge designs,”

Specs wise, it has a 4096 x 2304 resolution and 9.4 million pixels, which is reportedly 4.5 times more than the standard 21.5-inch iMac display. The 27-inch iMac features a Retina 5K display with a resolution of 14.7 million pixels. 5K and 4K displays feature a wider P3-based colour gamut that provides a 25 percent larger colour space.

The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display now comes with sixth-generation Intel Core processors. The new 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K display, on the other hand, features a fifth-generation Intel Core processor and is enhanced by Intel Iris Pro Graphics. The Thunderbolt 2 ports come with 20Gbps data transfer speeds for external drives and high-performance peripherals. The RAM has also been improved across the board from 8GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 to 8GB of 1867GHz LPDDR3, upgradeable to 16GB.

Pricing & Availability

Finally talking about the price, the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display is available at select Apple Authorised Resellers. The 27-inch iMac comes in three models priced at INR 148,900, INR 164,900 and INR 188,900. Additional technical specifications are available online at www.apple.com/in/imac/.

The 21.5-inch iMac is available at select Apple Authorised Resellers. The desktop is also available in three models priced at INR 91,900 and INR 107,900 and with a Retina 4K display starting at INR 123,900. Additional technical specifications are available online at www.apple.com/in/imac/.

Lastly, the Keyboard is available at INR 8,300, while the Mouse 2 will be be priced at INR 6,600 and the Trackpad 2 for INR 11,200.
Admittedly, these prices are sky rocketing and seem really unaffordable but Apple promises a better experience, as is the case with all its products. So it’s up to you to empty your pockets, or not.

October 13, 2015
Coming This Month : Apple’s 21.5-inch iMac With 4K Display

Apple fans, here’s some great news for you. According to reports Apple will be adding a new 21.5-inch iMacs with 4K screens to its current fall product line up. Adding to this, it has also been said, that these new computers will be available in stores from the 13th of October, 2015. However, the quantity of the products might be less, but Apple is also planning to produce larger quantities of this in November.

The reports also suggest that the new 4K iMac will come with a new 4096 x 2304 screen and faster graphics, it will come pre-loaded with El Capitan and will most probably be more expensive than its non-4K variant.

Apart from this, Apple has been working on a successor to Magic Mouse called Magic Mouse 2 along with Force Touch Integration and a Bluetooth keyboard with a better battery life. Not much is known about the release of this product. So stay tuned for more updates.

October 7, 2015
Apple Brings 4K to the 21.5 inch iMac this October

This October would bring in Apple’s new 4K screen to its 21.5 inch iMac. It will come equipped with a resolution of 4096 x 2304, an improvement from its previous1920 x 1080, by the end of next month. This launch will take place alongside OS X El Capitan making the product ready for shipping by November.

New features will include faster processors and improved colour saturation. Sadly enough, the higher resolution will, in all probability, increase the price of the new iMac, reminiscent of the 5K display which raised the price of the 27-inch iMac last year. However, the current model of the 27-inch iMac might still be available for sale post the launch.

September 4, 2015
Report : Apple to Release a New iMac With a 21.5-inch, 4K Display

Good news for those who would like a high definition desktop computer but one that is less expensive than the iMac 27-inch, 5K retina. Recent reports claim, Apple is said to bring out a new desktop computer with a 21.5-inch display and a 4K resolution. This new iMac has a 4096X2304 display and is said to release in a few months.

The previously launched 27 inch iMac is priced at $1,999 (approx. Rs. 1,27,640) which is cheaper than when it first came out and was $2,499 (approx. Rs. 1,59,511). However it is said that even with a $1,999 computer, one might still have to spend more money in order to get an SSD or fusion drive.

A French website has discovered some new images in the El Capitan beta, two of which are said to show a new 5K iMac and the third one, showing a new image of a 21.5 inch iMac with retina display. While the current 21.5 inch iMac has a 1920X1080 display the new display (4096 x 2304) will allow one to watch a 4K video in its native resolution.

However, the design of this new iMac seems to be the same as before. Currently, the 21.5-inch iMac is priced at $1,099 minimum (approx. Rs. 70,160), however, the new 21.5-inch with 4K display will be slightly more expensive. It will remain a lot cheaper than the 27-inch with 5K display iMac.

Do you think this device will be accessible enough? Let us know.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://consomac.fr/news-3651-el-capitan-beta-6-trois-nouveaux-imac.html”]Consomac[/tw-button]

August 5, 2015
Apple Quietly Updates the MacBook Pro and Introduces a Cheaper 5K iMac

Just a month ahead of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple has unveiled two newest additions to its Mac family, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro and the huge 27-inch iMac in India.

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro features Force Touch trackpad that promises of a new level of interactivity to the Mac. Simply put, Force Touch is a mechanism that senses pressure. It is an entirely novel innovation that merges the previously released Multi-Touch with force sensors.

This Mac also has new PCIe-based flash storage that provides up to 2.5 times better performance than its predecessor. It has an Intel Iris Pro graphics and offers additional hours of battery life, with up to 9 hours of wireless web browsing and 9 hours of movie playback. Other than this, standard options include a 2.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of flash, with, of course, Intel Iris Pro graphics.

The new iMac boasts of Retina 5K Display, which has 67% more pixels than a 4K Display. It features a 3.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost Speeds up to 3.7 GHz and AMD Radeon R9 M290 graphics. It includes 8GB of memory and 1TB of storage, along with four USB 3.0 ports and two Thunderbolt 2 ports that are capable of delivering up to 20Gbps each.

Every Mac will come along with OS X Yosemite. The updated 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is accessible from today on selected Apple Authorised Stores and is priced at Rs 1,59,900. Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.0 GHz and Flash storage up to 1TB.

The 27-inch iMac is also available on selected Apple Stores and is available for Rs 1,59,900. Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 4.0 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.4 GHz and Flash storage up to 1TB.

May 19, 2015
Apple Event Round Up : The 8 Most Important Things Apple Announced

On Thursday, Apple held its second product release event in six weeks. The 90-minute event at Apple’s headquarters here was a sombre affair compared to the mega-launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Apple Watch and Apple Pay. This time the news was expected, however, Apple plenty of new hardware and software during the event.

The company added to its product line the two new iPads, a 27-inch iMac with eye-popping Retina display, and OS X Yosemite, Apple’s latest desktop operating system. The iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and the devices will go on sale later next week in 29 countries (India is not on the list) while pre-orders open online today.

We are listing the important highlights of the event that will take considerably less time than it will take you to re-watch the event:

1. The New iPad Air is Skinnier Than Ever

Apple has relied on its time-tested strategy for updating a offering – make them thinner. The new device is only 6.1 mm thick, thinner than the new iPhones by almost 1mm. As expected, it is powered by the new Intel A8x Chip, a 2nd gen 64 bit architecture, which is 12 times faster than the current one. Apple claims that graphics performance of the new iPad Air 2 is 180 times faster, which gives console like gaming experience on the iPad Air 2. The tablets will feature a fingerprint scanner similar to the one found in the latest iPhones. The sensor enables people to use a fingerprint instead of a passcode to unlock the device, also can be used to make purchases using Apple Pay.

The new iPad Air 2 houses the 8MP iSight camera on the back with a f/2.4 aperture and supports HD video recording. Along with that, there is a front camera which features a new face time HD camera, burst selfie, slo-mo and more. The iPad Air 2 runs on the latest iOS 8.1 and features a LCD layer on the display and an anti reflective coating, reducing reflection by upto 56 per cent. The iPads are priced starting $499 (16GB). The 64GB version is available for $599 and the 128GB for $699.

2. There added a iPad Mini too, with Touch ID

Apple confirmed the third generation iPad Mini featuring the new Touch ID fingerprint sensor during the event. iPad mini 3’s screen is at 7.9-inches with a 2048×1536 resolution at 326 pixels per inch (ppi). Apart from the Touch ID, it has the same Retina display with an aluminum coating at the back. It will be available in gold, gray and silver colour variants.

It features a 5 megapixel iSight camera and a FaceTime HD camera. The camera carries the iOS8 features such as time-lapse and panorama. This iPad features dual microphones, on the front and back. Instinctively, when you switch cameras from front to back (or vice versa), the microphones switch, too. The price starts at $399 (Rs. 24,574 approx.) for 16GB in Wi-Fi only, while the 128GB + LTE model will cost $729. Pre-orders start tomorrow and shipping starts by the end of next week.

3. Apple Pay Will go Live on Monday (Only in the USA)

Apple confirmed it will begin rolling out the service next week on 20th October i.e. on Monday. Apple’s payment system allows people to bump their phones to pay for items in the 220,000 stores that have NFC (near-field communication) readers, as well as pay for items in apps by using the fingerprint scanner on Apple’s newest mobile devices.

Once third-party apps also use the Touch ID features, you can use this feature on other apps as well. As far as Apple Pay is concerned, it will be available only in the US and essentially allow users to replace their credit card with their device to make actual payments.

4. New iMacs come with the ‘World’s Highest Resolution Displays’

Along with Yosemite, Apple is bringing out the updated version of iOS. They’ve spent time and effort taking in user feedback and have updated the problem-prone update. iOS 8.1 brings the Camera Roll and iCloud Photo Library in beta, a feature that allows you to store all of your photos from all your devices in the cloud. The new iMac features a 27-inch display with 5210×2880 pixels resolution, which is 14.7 million pixels, which according to Apple, “is the world’s highest-resolution display”. Seven times more pixels than a Full HD TV, 67 per cent more pixels than 4k. The display is only 5mm thin at the edge.

The Oxide TF and a new low-power backlight helps it use 30% less energy despite the large display and heavy resolution. The base model runs on a 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics card, has 8GB of RAM, and a 1TB Fusion drive. The iMacs are priced starting $2499 (Rs. 1,53,913 approx).

5. Developers can Start Working on Apple Watch Apps Next Month.

Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook remained vague about when the company’s smartwatch will go on sale, saying only that it will be early next year. But the company is releasing WatchKit, software that will let developers start working on apps for the devices.

6. Yosemite is already available

Taking continuity to the next level. Apple definitely is the first company to benefit from this because of its enormous hardware ecosystem. OS X Yosemite is the upcoming eleventh major release of OS X, Apple Inc.’s desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers and it will be available from today. It can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for Free.

Yosemite gives you mirrored access across all Apple platforms for instant access. For example, the iPad recognizes what you’ve been working on and prompts you about it. You can stop working on the Mac, pick up your iPad and start working on your project right way without a second of lag. There is no need for third party apps. There is no need to open a cloud app and download the file, it’s always there.

7. iOS 8.1 Will Roll Out on Monday

Along with Yosemite, Apple is bring out the updated version of iOS. They’ve spent time and effort taking in user feedback and have updated the problem-prone update. iOS 8.1 brings the Camera Roll and iCloud Photo Library in beta, a feature that allows you to store all of your photos from all your devices in the cloud.

8. Apple SIM is a new iPad Air 2 hidden feature

Perhaps the most interesting news about Apple’s new iPad Air 2 tablet is buried at the bottom of one of its marketing pages: It will come pre-installed with a new “Apple SIM” card instead of one from a specific mobile operator.

Apple explains, “The Apple SIM gives you the flexibility to choose from a variety of short-term plans from select carriers in the U.S. and UK right on your iPad. So whenever you need it, you can choose the plan that works best for you—with no long-term commitments. And when you travel, you may also be able to choose a data plan from a local carrier for the duration of your trip.” So far, Apple lists three of the top four US operators—AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile—as partners. In the UK, there’s EE, a joint venture between T-Mobile and Orange. Apple says participating carriers may change.

October 17, 2014
It’s Official! The 27-inch iMac with ‘5K’ Retina Display is Here

At a mega event held in Cupertino Apple finally unveiled the long awaited its 27-inch Retina iMac. The event carried several announcements; the company announced the date of the Apple Pay launch, the revealed the new upgraded iPads and finally, then showcased the ‘World’s Highest Resolution Display.’

The Retina iMac features a 5K display, has new Operating System Yosemite, which includes aesthetic changes along with new functionality. This next generation Operating System has enhanced sync abilities with iOS devices.

The new iMac features a 27-inch display with 5210×2880 pixels resolution, which is 14.7 million pixels, which according to Apple, “Is the world’s highest-resolution display”. Seven times more pixels than a Full HD TV, 67 per cent more pixels than 4k. The display is only 5mm thin at the edge. The Oxide TF and a new low-power backlight helps it use 30% less energy despite the large display and heavy resolution.

The base model runs on a 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics card, has 8GB of RAM, and a 1TB Fusion drive. The iMacs are priced starting $2499 (Rs. 1,53,913 approx).

October 17, 2014
Everything We Know About Apple’s Upcoming iMac

Back in June, Apple unveiled a new cheaper iMac, but that wasn’t the one we were waiting for. Apple is expected to launch its first iMac with Retina screen on 16th October. The company’s last big update for iMac came last year in September when Apple added the Haswell processor, new graphics, next generation Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage options.

As reported by 9to5Mac, which cites sources that have used the desktop, the rumored new iMac with Retina display will feature a thin profile similar to the current generation of iMac machines, alongside faster processors and improved Wi-Fi connectivity.

Retina Display

According to the multiple reports, Apple will launch a 27-inch iMac with a 5K ‘Retina display’ screen. The screen will have a 5120 x 2880 resolution. This resolution is mentioned in the OS X Yosemite code. Earlier this year, French site, MacBidouille claimed that the developer preview of Yosemite includes a file that refers to a display scaling resolution option for the iMac. Apparently, the file includes a collection of scaling resolution options for the new iMac. They max out at 6400 x 3600 pixels.

Also, the recent announcement of DisplayPort 1.3, which can support 5K (5120×2880 pixels) monitors using a single Display Port cable without the use of compression, can also make the 5K resolution in the high-res iMac models a reality. If you compare, the existing 21.5-inch iMac flaunts a 1920×1080 pixels resolution display, while the 27-inch variant boasts a 2560×1440 pixels resolution screen.

There were previously suggestions that to qualify for the ‘Retina display’ definition, the resolution would only need to be 3,840 x 2,400 if Apple used ‘pixel doubling’. The cost involved in producing a 27-inch iMac with Retina display may also prove prohibitive, resulting in higher prices.

Innards

According to leaks, new iMac will use the Haswell i7-4790K, with a base clock speed of 4.0GHz. We know, you are waiting for the Broadwell processor to arrive in the Mac, but those new Intel processors will “likely be added in an update next year. Also, it is said that the new iMacs will have AMD graphics rather than the Nvidia graphics of the current generation. Little is known about which graphics processor Apple has in mind, but it’ll need to be quite beefy if there is any hope at running 3D games at the native resolution of the display. Apart from this, some sources also hinted an upgrade in iMovie and Final Cut Pro video editing softwares. The software are likely to feature improved tools for editing 4K footage.

Low-End iMacs

Well, it is said that the 21.5-inch model won’t be getting any considerable amount of iterations. We can expect the smaller iMac to be pretty much same as the previous generations at 1920×1080 (102 PPI), however, we can expect minor changes in CPU and GPU . While it’s disappointing that only the biggest model is getting a Retina update, it’s not particularly surprising. High-res displays are still very expensive, so it doesn’t make sense for the cheaper low-end iMacs. For now, 5K displays are still a rare and premium feature.

When Does it Arrive?

All the rumors regarding the new iMac have hinted that Apple will launch a new iMac, with a Retina display, at Apple’s confirmed special event on 16 October, which is expected to also see the launch of new iPads.

October 14, 2014
Apple Rolls Out iPad Launch Event Invites for October 16th

Apple has sent out invites for its October 16 event, wherein the company is all set to unveil its new line of iPads. The invite says, “It’s been too long”. Well, we’ve barely recovered from the last event where Apple announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone maker is expected to unveil the new iPads as well as an updated iMac line.

Multiple reports over the past week have pointed to the next iPad landing with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor directly targeted towards enterprise customers along with Apple Pay, though without the counterpart near-field communications (NFC) chip.

It’s also the first time new iPads have made an appearance since the Apple-IBM deal was announced in mid-July. Apple CEO Tim Cook called Apple’s new partnership with IBM a “catalyst for future iPad growth.” Apple is also expected to finally launch its new operating system, dubbed Yosemite. It comes with a number of “continuity” features that bridge the divide between its desktop and mobile devices and platforms, such as ‘Handoff,’ which allows users to transition working in-app from one device to another.

Recently, there were reports of Apple planning to launch a gold iPad Air 2. According to another report, new versions of the 9.7-inch iPads which are expected to be unveiled at the Oct 16th event will include a golden coloured rear metal cover in addition to the silver and gray that are already available in previous products.

It is also noted that the logo on the invite is similar to the one Apple used to mark the 30th anniversary of the Mac earlier this year, which has sparked the hope for a refreshed line of Mac computers.

So, the Apple logo from the invite is the same as the Mac 30th anniversary logo. So, new Macs indeed. pic.twitter.com/cn3aEcCCS5

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) October 8, 2014

October 9, 2014
Apple Cuts $200 on its New iMac

It came as a surprise, when Apple launched new all-in-one iMac desktop computer.The new variant is slightly lower in price but with some significant changes in it’s build. The new 21.5-inch iMac is as slim as it’s older variants.

The $200-cheaper iMac is missing some of the regular iMac specs. The built of the cheaper iMac is 40 percent slower in performance when compared to Apple’s older lower-end desktop computer. It has a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor running at 1.4GHz, 8GB of RAM, and has a 500GB hard drive.

The new variant provides with non-upgradable 500gb hard drive against older variant’s 1TB and an Intel integrated GPU compared to high-end Intel graphics card in the old model. It does have the same 21.5-inch, 1080p screen and the same 8 GB of RAM. The RAM of the device is non-upgradable, but the hard drive can be upgraded for a price. A 1 TB drive is available for an extra $50, while $250 will buy either a 256 GB solid-state drive or a 1TB Fusion Drive, which combines a small SSD with a larger hard drive.

Apart from these changes, the computer’s internal parts have no major difference compared to the regular iMac. While others see it as a wise move for the iMac-maker to drive sales, the offered iMac 2014 specs are neither perfect for graphic design work, nor for gaming.

However, the new variant is good enough for casual home computing and a great option for those who want the Apple quality, design and software but at a lower price. This may ensure Apple’s intent to make its all-in-one desktop more affordable.

The late release of this cheaper model in the iMac product line stands in contrast with Apple’s usual strategy. The company often lowers the price of existing models as they age in order to continue to attract customers while the next year’s lineup is on the way. In April, Apple upgraded the processors in the MacBook Air, while simultaneously lowering the price by $100.

June 23, 2014
Apple Updates iMacs With Haswell Chips, Faster GPU

Apple today announced a refresh to its iMac lineup, which adds Intel’s new Haswell processors, next-gen Wi-Fi, and more.

The base 21.5-inch model will most likely sport the quad-core Core i5-4570R (2.7GHz base clock, turbo up to 3.2GHz with Iris Pro graphics), and the top of the line 27-inch SKU bringing what is likely the Core i7-4771 (3.5GHz base clock, turbo up to 3.9GHz).

The faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi (also known as Gigabit Wi-Fi) paves the way for up to three times faster wireless data transfers compared to the previous generation. Apple of course recently updated its AirPort wireless appliances with 802.11ac compatibility.

Due to the new PCIe-based flash storage (also found in the mid-2013 MacBook Air), Apple says the iMac’s optional Fusion Drive (a HDD + SDD combo) is now up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation.

iMac comes standard with 8 gigabytes of memory and a 1-terabyte hard drive, and customers can choose to configure their iMac with up to 32 gigabytes of memory and up to a 3-terabyte hard drive. iMac also comes with two Thunderbolt and four USB 3.0 ports for connecting to external storage and other high performance peripherals.

On the graphics side, the top spec gets a decent upgrade, with the Nvidia GTX 780M offering higher clock speeds and more RAM over its predecessor, the GTX 680MX. On the low end, we see Intel’s own Iris Pro integrated graphics take the place of Nvidia’s GT 640M, a good indicator that Intel’s graphics efforts are making inroads on lower specced machines.

The new iMacs ship with Mac OS X Mountain Lion. Indian pricing and availability will be announced soon!

September 24, 2013