Whether you like Apple or not, when they hold an event, you know they are not ones to disappoint, and Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference 2012 (WWDC) was no exception.
When their online store was temporarily unavailable, we instantly knew that something new was cooking in the oven.
Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, welcomed the eager crowd with absolute wit stating:
“I’m waiting for the new Samsung,” she said. “No, not the phone, the refrigerator. Hubba hubba.”
Let us review the major updates that have been revealed yesterday:
1) Mac Book Air
The Macbook Air 11” & 13” models were the first ones to be tackled in the conference. For those of you who were excited about the circulating rumors about the high resolution Retina display, we’re sure you were disappointed when those turned out to be mere rumors after all, yet a power bump with Intel’s new 3rd generation Ivy Bridge processor, is not a bad compensation especially for to tackle games and videos.
The MacBook Air features flash storage up to four times faster than traditional hard drives for instant-on performance and fast access to your apps and data. Now with 4GB of faster memory, configurable up to 8GB, you can run memory-intensive apps with ease. MacBook Air also features a new FaceTime(R) HD camera that delivers high-definition 720p. Prices start at $1029 and $1229 respectively.Cisco 700-501
2) MacBook Pro 
The MacBook Pro line was also visited by the makeover team.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available with a 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of memory and 500GB hard drive starting at $1,199 (US), and with a 2.9 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of memory and 750GB hard drive starting at $1,499 (US).
The 15” model also had a refreshing, again with Ivy Bridge processors up to 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 (also 3.6GHz with Turbo Boost). Graphics have been boosted to Intel HD Graphics 4000 and discrete graphics are provides by the next generation NVIDIA GeForce GT650M based on the new Kepler architecture, and finally a 500GB hard drive starting at $1,799 (US).
3) MacBook Pro with Retina Display
Initially, everyone was in despair when a Retina display was nowhere to be found on any of the models, however, Apple never leaves anyone hanging; putting aside all the updates received by the MacBook Pro, Apple introduced us to yet another new product judiciously named the MacBook Pro with Retina display.
While it is undoubtedly alluring, it is somewhat reminiscent of the MacBook Air. It measures only 0.71 inches; 25% less than the current 15” model. It’s the lightest “Pro” notebook ever made, Apple says, weighing in at 4.46 lbs.
The high contrast and glossy but reduced glare display offers a density of 2880 x 1800, that’s 5.184 million pixels at 220PPI. (Compared to 1440×900). It offers the same processors and graphics as the updated 15” model, but will allow up to 16GB of 1600MHz RAM and 768GB of Flash-only storage. It also features 2 Thunderbolt ports, HDMI, USB 3.0, SD card slot as well as the new MagSafe 2 connector. It still manages to carry a 7-hour battery.
Gigabit Ethernet and Firewire 800 are still supported with optional adapters. The Super Drive has been removed and is now only available as a $79 external option. Pricing starts at $2,229.
4) Free Update to Mountain Lion
As for Mountain Lion, the next version of Apple’s Mac operating system now has a firmer ship date—it will arrive in July. When Apple previewed Mountain Lion back in February, it would only say to expect the update during the summer of 2012.
Mountain Lion has a price tag, too: It’ll cost $20 to update. You’ll need to run Mac OS X 10.6 or later, and updates will only be available through the Mac App Store. Buy one of Apple’s new laptops, however, and you can upgrade to Mountain Lion for free.
The new AirPort Express also comes with a ‘guest networking’ feature that allows users to set up a separate Wi-Fi network for guests, which will only provide access to the Internet. Other upgrades include two Ethernet ports – one each of LAN and WAN. Earlier, there was just one port, which could function both as LAN/WAN depending on the configuration.
Like its predecessor, the new Airport Express comes with integrated AirPlay and a USB port that can be used to attach a compatible printer. It can be setup via iOS, PC or Mac.
The new AirPort Express is available in Apple stores for an unchanged price of $99.
What were your thoughts on the conference? Do let us know and leave a comment.
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