Today was Apple’s big day in the spotlight…the second one in as many months. Today, as expected it was about iPads, Mavericks, MacBook Pros, and the new Mac Pro (you know, the one that looks like a black garbage can).
The star of the show was the new iPad, version 5…except the name has changed. It is now called the iPad Air. Good name! Screen-wise, it is about the same size as the previous versions…but it is much, much thinner and about 33% lighter. And, if their claims are correct, about 10 hours of battery life. The price? Same as the last generation of iPads, starting at $499.
Apple also introduced a new iPad Mini, same 7.9” size, but this time with a Retina Display. But, the price also went up from $329 to $399. The version 1 model will still be available at a new low price of $299.
Apple also released it’s new version of its desktop operating system, OS10, this version being called “Mavericks.” The surprise news was they are giving this upgrade away for free to all Mac users, regardless of how old their current operating system is. Nice move.
The rest of the show was about the new MacBook Pro laptops at 13” and 15” and the release of a powerful Mac Pro desktop computer that starts at $3,000…that is almost bare-bones. Expect the prices to skyrocket when you add such things as a monitor and more memory.
All-in-all it was a good show by Apple. I watched it on my iPad as the broadcast was only available on Apple equipment and software…a clear demonstration to remind us all that Apple is a very closed system.
But, the Apple event is only part of today’s news. The on-going saga of the healthcare.gov Website boondoggle continues to amaze most Americans. If they can’t set up a vastly overpriced Website, what makes you believe they can run a health care system? It’s government stupidity running amok!
So, stop, take a deep breath, and read on! -JRC
APPLE
Hands on with the New iPad Air
The iPad Air, just introduced by Apple, is a lighter, thinner 9.7-inch tablet, and it weighs just 1 pound
Apple announces iPad Mini with Retina Display; starts at $399
The new tablet will obviously feature a much-requested 2,048x1,536-pixel Retina Display, comes in space gray and silver, and houses Apple's A7 chip, last seen in the iPhone 5S.
New Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display
The MacBook Pro line has now gotten the entirely expected upgrade to current Haswell CPUs, which our Labs testing shows offers significant improvements to battery life in the PC and Mac systems we've previously tested.
Apple's biggest new announcement was the free OS X upgrade
Free OS X Mavericks upgrade, along with the new MacBooks and Mac Pro, hints that Apple isn't turning its back on PCs
iOS 7.0.3 update released for iPhone and iPad
This was not part of the event, but today Apple released iOS 7.0.3 for the iPhone and iPad, an update that brings with it numerous bug fixes and improvements to the recently-released iOS 7.
NEWS AND TIPS
Healthcare.gov, heal thyself -- but where to start?
Healthcare.gov is a screwup of massive proportions, even by Uncle Sam's standards. Get this patient some help, stat!
HHS brings in Verizon to help HealthCare.gov
The federal health care exchange was built using 10-year-old technology that may require constant fixes and updates for the next six months and the eventual overhaul of the entire system.
Akamai’s state of the internet: the world grows as the U.S. falls behind
Akamai’s State of the Internet report for the second quarter of 2013 has promising news for the world, but less so for the United States.
Amazon Bumps Free Shipping Threshold to $35, Now You Really Want Prime
Amazon Prime is a no-brainer for anyone who shops online. Today, a policy change for non-Prime customers makes a membership more valuable than ever.
How to Keep Google from Putting Your Name and Picture in Their Ads
If you are signed in with a Google account and you +1 some product, Google may now have the right to use your name and picture in certain ads for that product. Although there are limitations, I suspect many people (including me) will object to being used in any advertising. Here is how to change the setting.
WINDOWS
Nokia Introduces a Tablet to Rival Microsoft's Surface
Well, this is awkward. Just hours after Microsoft's Surface 2 became available for sale, Nokia unveiled its own take on a Windows tablet, the Lumia 2520, putting some pressure on its soon-to-be parent company.
Windows RT 8.1 Update Returns
Three days after it temporarily halted the availability of the Windows RT 8.1 update from Windows Store, Microsoft has restored the download.
An Important Disk Cleanup Job after Upgrading to Windows 8.1
If you are one of those who have upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, there is a way to free up a lot of disk space. It makes use of a special setting in the Windows Disk Cleanup system utility.
The Metro hater's guide to Windows 8.1
Are you a desktop diehard? If you've got no use for the Start screen and Metro-style apps, I have some good news for you. Windows 8.1 has a handful of interface tweaks you can make that will put the Windows desktop back in charge.
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