Apple's event finally arrived (and brought with it a storm). Apple announced a slew of new products, including the expected iPad Mini and the completely (un)expected iPad 4. Also announced is the new retina display packing MacBook Pro 13" and the next-gen iMac with a slimmer profile and new processor.
The Apple iPad Mini
Apple has just introduced their newest product to their already existing premium collection, the iPad Mini. Packing last generation specifications (borrowing from the iPad 2), the iPad Mini is Apple's stand against Google Nexus 7, albeit at a higher price tag. Let's see what the iPad Mini packs under the hood:
- Apple A5 1 GHz dual core
- 512 MB of RAM
- 7.9" LED-backlit IPS LCD display
- XGA (1024x768) screen resolution
- 5 MP camera, 1080p @30fps video
- 1.2 MP front cam, 720p @ 30fps
- 16/32/64 GB internal storage
- 312 grams weight, 7.2 mm thick
- 16.3 Wh Li-Po battery
- iOS 6
The Apple iPad Mini packs the last generation A5 chipset packing a 1 GHz dual core Cortex A9 CPU and PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU. 512 MB of RAM together powers the 7.9" XGA (1024x768) IPS display. The 5 MP camera at the back is capable of capturing 1080p video. A 1.2 MP front camera enables 720p video chatting and Apple Facetime.
The tablet packs a 16.3 Wh battery. It's slim at 7.2 mm thick, weighs in at 312 grams and has the latest iOS 6 operating system. Compared the the Nexus 7 tablet by Google, the iPad Mini is priced much higher. Starting at $329 it goes on to cost as high as $659. Here are a list of models.
- iPad Mini 16 GB, WiFi only - $329
- iPad Mini 32 GB, WiFi only - $429
- iPad Mini 64 GB, WiFi only - $529
- iPad Mini 16 GB, WiFi + Cellular - $459
- iPad Mini 32 GB, WiFi + Cellular - $559
- iPad Mini 64 GB, WiFi + Cellular - $659
Also, the older iPad 2 model costs $399 for the 16 GB one with WiFi only, and $529 for the WiFi + Cellular.
Apple iPad 4
Apple also announced the iPad 4th generation. This came as a real shocker as nobody really expected this announcement. The iPad 4 the nothing but an iPad 3 with the new A6X chipset. Apple promises twice the CPU and GPU power compared to the A5X chipset in the iPad 3. Also in store is the new Lightning connector.
The iPad 4 packs the same (1536x2048) pixel retina display. It comes at the same cost as the iPad 3, $499 for the base version.
Apple iMac 2012
Apple has also unveiled it's next generation iMac, packing a slimmer design and faster, Ivy Bridge powered CPUs with a base price of $1,299. Features include:
- (1920x1080) 21.5" model, (2560x1440) 27" model
- nVidia 600 series GPU
- upto 32 GB RAM
- upto 3 TB storage, or 768 GB SSD
- 720p front camera
- Intel Core i5 processors
Overall, this is a nice routine update to the lineup.
- $1,299 21.5" model brings a 2.7 GHz Core i5 and 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB HDD
- $1,799 27" model brings a 2.9 GHz Core i5 and 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB HDD
The new Apple iMacs ship in December.
Apple MacBook Pro 13" with Retina Display
Apple has finally added the 13" Retina Model to their MacBook lineup. Introducing the Macbook Pro 13" with over 4 million pixels an weighing under 3.6 pounds. A run down with it's specifications:
- 13" (2560x1440) resolution Retina display
- 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU
- 8 GB of RAM
- 128 GB flash memory
- 2 Thunderbolt ports
- full size HDMI port
- 2 USB 3.0 ports
- 0.75" thick
The new MacBook is 20 percent thinner than the 2011 model and weighs a pound less too. Apple has done more than just replace the display with the new MacBook, and that is apparent. The base model will cost $1,699.