It wasn’t exactly a secret, but now the proverbial big cat is out of the bag. Apple has just updated the company’s best-selling computer product, the MacBook Air with a Core i5/i7 option, better storage, Thunderbolt port, and finally, a backlit keyboard (again). Mac minis are updated as well, at long last bringing them up to speed with current processors and features.

The other big story is obviously OS X Lion which is Apple’s most iOS-like release yet, and it slowly starts to bridge PC and post-PC devices. Lion is a major OS update with more than 250 new features, and it’s available for $29 through the Mac App Store starting now.

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According to several forum posters over at mydigitallife, Microsoft has started issuing Windows 8 to computer manufacturers via its Connect internal testing system — also known as the “Windows 8 and Server vNext Pre-Release Program.” Reportedly, Windows 8 sports a “fully dynamic”  3D user interface, which allows the operating system to adapt to user habits and make OS interactions more efficient. A rumored “fast hibernation” feature will put the system in a saved-state in 3 to 6 seconds, and Windows 8 may also include a new “Mosh” tile-based user interface (no doubt inspired by the MetroUI found on Windows Phone handsets). Windows 8 beta could land as soon as next September, but rumors from earlier this month suggest that Microsoft could start showing off a Windows 8 tablet as early as June. Business Insider reports that the Redmond company is taking a “more Apple-like approach to interface design” with this iteration of Windows. Microsoft has yet to publicly announce when it will demo all of the new features of Windows 8.

[Via WinRumors]

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In a new report Thursday, DigiTimes claims that Apple is working on upgraded MacBook Pro and iMac models that will launch in the first half of 2011. The report cites “sources from upstream component makers” in suggesting Apple has at least four refreshed MacBook Pro models on tap, which will have slightly updated chasis designs. It also states that the company will release an iMac model with a new display size and a lower price point. The new computers will be manufactured by Foxconn and Quanta, and DigiTimes’ sources estimate 2011 Apple notebook shipments to be in the range of 13 to 14 million units.

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Any developers out there that thought they’d be able to submit trial or demo versions of their applications for inclusion in Apple’s Mac App Store are going to unfortunately out of luck. Not unexpected, Apple has chosen to only offer full apps in the upcoming computer-focused application portal. Apple’s suggestion for those of you that still want to distribute beta, trial, or demo versions of your applications? Well, just keep on truckin’ and continue making those versions available on your website for direct distribution. With Mac OS X 10.6.6 just possibly around the corner, we might be browsing Apple’s latest App Store sooner than later (Apple promised a release by mid-January).

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If you are a user who measures their computers performance in flops, then listen up. Apple has announced that they will be refreshing their lineup of Mac Pro computers this August. The new machines will have up to twelve, count em’ twelve, processing cores and offer a 50% speed increase over the current line. Pricing starts at $2,499. We’ve got the full press release below…

Apple Unveils New Mac Pro With Up to 12 Processing Cores

CUPERTINO, California-July 27, 2010-Apple® today unveiled a new Mac® Pro line with up to 12 processing cores and up to 50 percent greater performance than the previous generation.* Featuring the latest quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors, all-new ATI graphics and the option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD), the new Mac Pro continues to deliver amazing performance and expandability for the most demanding consumers and professionals.

“The new Mac Pro is the most powerful and configurable Mac we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With up to 12 cores, the new Mac Pro outperforms our previous top-of-the-line system by up to 50 percent, and with over a billion possible configurations, our customers can create exactly the system they want.”

At the heart of the new Mac Pro’s performance are next generation quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 3.33 GHz. These multi-core processors use a single die design so each core can share up to 12MB L3 cache to improve efficiency while increasing processing speed. These systems feature an integrated memory controller for faster memory bandwidth and reduced memory latency; Turbo Boost to dynamically boost processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz; and Hyper-Threading to create up to 24 virtual cores. The Mac Pro now comes with the ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor with 1GB of memory and customers can configure-to-order the even faster ATI Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB of memory.

For the first time, Mac Pro customers have the option to order a 512GB SSD for the ultimate in reliability and lightning fast performance. With the ability to install up to four SSD drives in the system’s internal drive bays, the new Mac Pro can provide ultra high-speed disk bandwidth and random disk performance, two times faster than the average performance of a standard disk drive.** Mac Pro also now features two Mini DisplayPorts and one dual-link DVI port. The additional Mini DisplayPort output allows customers to connect two LED Cinema Displays without an additional graphics card or adapter and the dual-link DVI port supports legacy DVI-based displays up to a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.

Every Mac Pro comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse and customers can also order Apple’s new Magic Trackpad as an option. The Magic Trackpad brings the intuitive Multi-Touch™ gestures of Mac notebook trackpads to the desktop. With its glass surface, the wireless Magic Trackpad allows users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with their fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of web pages or photos. The Magic Trackpad can be configured to support single button or two button commands and supports tap-to-click as well as a physical click. Magic Trackpad is available separately for $69.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple’s desktop lineup is a leader in green design. The Mac Pro meets stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.*** The Mac Pro enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and the interior is designed to be more material-efficient. The Mac Pro uses PVC-free internal cables and components and contains no brominated flame retardants. The new Apple Battery Charger provides a convenient and environmentally friendly way to always have a fresh set of batteries for your Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. The Apple Battery Charger is available as an option for $29 and comes with six long shelf life rechargeable batteries.

Every Mac also comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto®, with breakthrough ways to organize and manage your photos by who appears in them and where they were taken; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand® which offers a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.

Optional Apple professional applications include Aperture®, Final Cut® Express, Final Cut Studio®, Logic® Express and Logic Studio®.

Pricing & Availability
The new Mac Pro will be available in August through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

The new quad-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:

one 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3530 processor with 8MB of fully-shared L3 cache;
3GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 16GB;
ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
two Mini DisplayPorts and one DVI (dual-link) port (adapters sold separately);
1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
18x SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire® 800 ports;
AirPort Extreme® 802.11n;
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Magic Mouse.

The new 8-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of $3,499 (US), includes:

two 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5620 processors with 12MB of fully-shared L3 cache per processor;
6GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 32GB;
ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
two Mini DisplayPorts and one DVI (dual-link) port (adapters sold separately);
1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports;
AirPort Extreme 802.11n;
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include:

one 3.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3565 processor for the quad-core Mac Pro;
one 3.33 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon W3680 processor for the quad-core Mac Pro;
two 2.66 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon X5650 processors (12-cores) for the 8-core Mac Pro;
two 2.93 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon X5670 processors (12-cores) for the 8-core Mac Pro;
two ATI Radeon HD 5770 cards with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
one ATI Radeon HD 5870 card with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
up to 16GB of DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory for the quad-core Mac Pro;
up to 32GB of DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory for the 8-core Mac Pro;
up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD); or
up to four 1TB or 2TB Serial ATA hard drives running at 7200 rpm;
Mac Pro RAID card;
dual-channel or quad-channel 4Gb Fibre Channel card; and
up to two 18x SuperDrives with double-layer support.

Accessories include: Magic Trackpad, Apple Battery Charger, wired Apple Mouse, wireless Apple Keyboard, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, the AppleCare® Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server; iWork®, Logic Express 9, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 3. Complete options and accessories are available at www.apple.com/macpro.

*Testing conducted by Apple in July 2010 using preproduction Mac Pro 12-core 2.93 GHz units and shipping Mac Pro 8-core 2.93 GHz units, all configured with 6GB of RAM. Based on render performance of Maxwell Render 2.0.3 using Benchwell’s sculpture.mxs. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Pro.

**Testing conducted by Apple in July 2010 using preproduction Mac Pro 12-core 2.93 GHz units configured with 6GB of RAM, 1TB 7200-rpm hard disk drive and 512GB solid-state drive. Testing conducted using Iometer 2006.07.27 with a 30-second ramp-up, 5-minute run duration, 128KB request size, 8 outstanding IOs, and 150GB test file. Average rotational media performance calculated by creating the test file on the outer, middle and inner sectors of the drive and averaging the results from all three measurements. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Pro.

***EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

When the Apple Store went down this morning, we were expecting to see several things: an updated Mac Pro, an updated iMac, and a new 27-inch cinema display. Well, the Store is back… and here’s what the gang in Cupertino came up with:

• iMac — Both the 21.5-inch and 27-inch models have received a fairly significant processor bump. The 21.5-inch iMac will be available with a 3.06 GHz or 3.20 GHz Core i3 processor, the 27-inch model will also be available with the 3.20 GHz Core i3 as well as a 2.8 GHz Core i5 quad-core offering. All models will come standard with 4 GB of RAM, at least a 500 GB hard drive, and will have a hand-full of configurable options if ordered online; including a Core i7 processor.
• Magic Trackpad — Rumored some time ago, the Magic Trackpad allows you to click, scroll, and swipe on your desktop machine just as you would on your laptop. The device is 80% larger than the trackpad on the Macbook Pro and runs on two AA batteries. Here’s Apple’s take on the new device: “Magic Trackpad gives you a whole new way to control what’s on your Mac desktop computer. When you perform gestures, you actually interact with what’s on your screen. You feel closer to your content, and moving around feels completely natural. Swiping through pages on screen is just like flipping through pages in a magazine, and inertial scrolling senses the momentum in your fingers as you move up and down a page.” The device ships in 24-hours and is priced at $69.
• Battery Charger — An Apple branded AA battery charger was also released today, for… you know, environmental reasons and stuff. Not to much to report on it, but it looks cute.

There you have it, let us know what you think. Anyone going to be busting out the credit card today?

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According to market research firm IDC, 2010 will see shipments of PCs rebound in 2010 and erase the terrible sales figures seen in 2009. Overall sales are expected to rise 19.8% YoY with a total of 354.8 million units shipped. Notebook sales are anticipated to be the largest contributor to higher sales with growth targeted at 28.6% versus the 8.2% of desktops. As for netbooks, previously said by many to be the next big thing in personal computing, IDC believes that their sales will max out at 12% before tapering off. Why? Because everyone seems to want a tablet instead.

[Via Electronista]

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As iPhone 4 pre-orders kicked off, visitors to Apple’s website were greeted with a teensy surprise this morning, as the Mac mini has received its long-rumored long-efresh. Milled out of a solid chunk of aluminum, $699 base model comes with an 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, 320GB HDD, and a NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics card. As expected, HDMI has replaced the DVI port (the Mini DisplayPort is still there) and a SD card reader now joins the four USB 2.0 ports and sole FireWire 800 port. If there’s no need for an optical drive in your life or if you just want something in the way of a compact server, there’s also the option of scraping it entirely and a nabbing a unit with a 2.6GHz processor, dual 500GB HDDs and 4GB of RAM for $999.

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We’ve got to hand it to Sony, they make some sexy looking hardware…and this attractive little number packs a punch. The Sony VAIO J marries a: Blu-ray player, Intel Core processor, dedicated NVIDIA GeForce graphics card, up to 8 GB of RAM, built-in webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Windows 7, to a 21.5″ full touch-screen display (1080p). What could make this very attractive, very capable machine even better? It’s price tag. The J’s starting price-tag will be a manageable $900. Now, custom configuring your J with a Core i7 processor and 8 GB of RAM will, in all likelihood, get you north of $900 quicker than you can say American Express, but we think it’s worth it. We’ve got the official press release for you after the bounce.

[Via Engadget]

SONY UNVEILS NEW ENTRY-LEVEL PRICED TOUCH-SCREEN PC VAIO J 
All-In-One Puts Music, Photos and Blu-ray Disc Movies One-Touch Away

SAN DIEGO, June 8, 2010 – Sony today unveiled its new, affordable touch-enabled, multi-media machine- the VAIO® J Touch All-In-One PC.

With the VAIO J Series’ multi-touch screen, easy access to your PC, HD movies- your entire entertainment hub- is readily at your fingertips. 

Equipped with a 21.5-inch (diagonal) 1920×1080 widescreen panel, the unit displays high-definition content in Full HD. Select models feature a Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive so you can enjoy movies in stunning 1080p high definition. 

“The J Series changes the way consumers interact with their PC enabling them to tap, drag, zoom, rotate and engage with their content and entertainment like never before,” said Mike Lucas, senior vice president of the VAIO business at Sony. “And with its attractive price point, this cutting-edge technology will reach a whole new audience.”

The J Series comes with three unique hardware buttons-VAIO, ASSIST and DISPLAY OFF to get you to where you want to go with a touch of a button. 

Launch directly into Sony’s own Media Gallery software by pushing the designated VAIO button and simplify your music library. With Media Gallery you can automatically create 21 unique channels of music based on beat, tone, rhythm and other elements. It also enables you to rediscover forgotten favorites by recommending content you already own based on your unique listening and viewing habits.

Facilitate simple do-it-yourself PC maintenance procedures by pressing the ASSIST button and launching the included VAIO Care™ software program. Finally a DISPLAY OFF button is included so you can turn off your screen for privacy or to perform nighttime applications without sending your PC into hibernation. 

By utilizing built-in wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi technology and your wireless router (required, sold separately), you can position the model virtually anywhere in your home and access the Internet, email or home network.

A built-in webcam with face-tracking technology and microphone let you video chat with colleagues. Included Webcam Message Board software makes it easy to create video messages or leave handwritten notes on the screen. A third-party internet service provider is required.
The unit packs a powerful 2010 Intel® Core™ processor (select models), loads of RAM, and an optional dedicated NVIDIA® GeForce ® series graphics for graphic-intense gaming and movies. It comes with Windows® 7 Home Premium or Professional 64-bit operating system. 

Featuring a stylish, compact design the PC comes with an adjustable stand to help you adjust it to meet your desired viewing or touch angle or simply to decrease the slant for space-saving. A wireless keyboard and mouse that can easily be stored under the unit’s display are included. 
The VAIO® J Touch All-in-one PC will start at about $900. It is available for pre-orders today online at www.sonystyle.com/pr/jseries. It will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and select retailers around the country starting next month. 

If you or anyone you know were planning on picking up a Mac mini over the weekend (don’t laugh, we’re serious), you might want to hold off because AppleInsider has it on good authority that the teensy weensy computer rig is due for a refresh in the coming weeks. AI is reporting that multiple independent sources who order Mac minis in large quantities were either instructed to order only what is urgently needed or wait a few weeks. One educational institution had its order fulfilment estimate changed from several days to June 14th. Two months ago AI reported that prototype Mac mini’s spotted by Apple employees had the DVI port swapped out for a HDMI port and the inclusion of NVIDIA’s MPC89 chipset. The last Mac mini refresh took pace last in October.

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It’s no secret that the star of this year’s WWDC keynote will be the next-gen iPhone, but what else could it potentially bring to the table? According to a note issued to investors by Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu, the answer is iTunes.com, a cloud-based music service, and a refresh of the Mac Pro and MacBook Air. Apple has long been rumored to want in on the cloud-based music business, and its purchase of Lala in December of 2009 only served to add fuel to the fire. Add to this the fact that Apple has ordered Lala be shut down on May 31st and it seems there is quite a bit of evidence to support these claims. Turning our attention to the Mac Pro, the scuttlebutt is that it will pack a pair of 12 core Westmere-based processors from Intel’s Xeon 5600 series. As for the MacBook Air, rumors of a refresh have been fairly consistent over the past few months. The most recent came a few weeks ago and claimed that the travel-friendly notebook would be equipped with a Intel Core i3 processor and 4GB of RAM (although back in January the word was it would be getting a Core i5 processor). Would this be enough to satiate your need for shiny, new Apple gear?

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The iPad is such a hot commodity that, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky, U.S. sales of the slab-let have likely outpaced sales of Apple’s Mac computers. After a series of retail checks, which found most iPad retailers out of stock of the 3G model and very few Wi-Fi models left, Abramsky believes Apple is moving approximately 200,000 iPads a week versus 110,000 Macs. Abroad, where only recently customers were able to put in pre-orders, Abramsky believes Apple received orders for over 600,000 units. When all is said and done for calendar year 2010, the RBC analyst is predicting that Apple will have sold some 8,130,000 iPads. Not bad for gadget that costs, at the very least, $499. Could the iPad eat into Mac sales? Yes, to the tune of 25% according to the analyst. However, the drop in Mac sales didn’t diminish Abramsky’s price targets: $350/share with revenues of $59.7 billion for 2010. Yikes!

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HP managed to surpass the Street’s expectations as the company saw profits grew by 28% in the quarter ended April 30th. Capitalizing on strong demand for PCs and servers, revenue came in at $30.8 billion with an adjusted income of $1.09. Analysts were expecting to see $1.05 per share. This performance allowed HP to hold onto its title as the world’s largest manufacturer of personal computers. HP is predicting that the current quarter will see bring in $29.7 to $30 billion in revenue, with an adjusted income of $1.05 to $1.07 per share. Shares in HP are up 0.41% in after hours trading.

UPDATE: During a call with analysts, HP CEO Mark Hurd said that webOS will be coming to slates and web-connected printers. Slates with webOS is something easily imaginable, but printers? Whatever it is HP is planning, we hope it’s good.

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Processor manufacturers AMD and Intel are updating their desktop processor lineups, and they will be bringing 6-core number-smashing goodness, as well as a few low wattage options, to a CPU near you. DigiTimes has a source on record claiming: “Intel will soon launch its 32nm high-end dual-core Core i5-680 with price of US$284 and will replace the existing Core i5-670; and 45nm low-voltage Core i7-870s with a price of US$560 and a power consumption of 82W.” Their connect goes onto detail some of AMD’s future plans: “AMD will launch several six-core Phenom II processors in the second quarter including X6 1035T (2.6GHz/95W), X6 1055T (2.8GHz/95W) and X6 1075T (3.0GHz/125W).” No prices were leaked by the DigiTimes source for the AMD hardware, but they went on to list a plethora of Phenom and Athalon models and prospective release dates. 

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