Apple has launched an updated range of MacBook laptops with the a lighter and thinner MacBook Air running on Intel's Haswell power-saving PC microprocessor. However, it hasn't upgraded the storage, with the devices, starting at $1,299 (probably £999 in the UK), sporting just 128 gigabyte solid-state discs (SSDs).
The 15-inch MacBook Pro will cost $1,999 (probably £1,799 in the UK). While eye-wateringly expensive for most people, it weighs in at $200 less than the current 15-inch Apple laptop. The laptop will have a quad-core Intel-i7 mobile microprocessor, running at two gigahertz. This bigger-screen version will have a battery life of up to eight hours.
The new, thinner and lighter MacBook Pro will be available straightaway, promises Apple.
On the desktop, meanwhile, Apple is also upgrading the Mac Pro line-up of PCs. The latest Mac Pros will have Intel Xeon E5 microprocessors inside and up to one terabyte of all-flash storage - keep it backed up regularly in case of failure, though: when SSDs fail, they fail suddenly and without warning, and take everything with them.
Anyone wanting a Mac Pro should restrain themselves from rushing to camp out at their nearest Apple Store - the machines will only be available in December.
Pricing on the Mac Pro starts at $2,999, which buys you 12GB of RAM, a 3.7 quad core Xeon, 2GB of memory in the graphics card, a 256GB SSD for storage - and a shiny Apple logo.
Mavericks
The latest Apple launch in Cupertino, California - the company doesn't like to travel far from head office - kicked off with the formal unveiling of Mavericks, an updated version of the OSX operating system that will not just run on the new Mac PCs, but will be free for users of Apple's legacy computers back to 2007, too.
Code-named Mavericks, CEO Tim Cook claims that it will help conserve energy, providing an extra hour from a laptop's battery. However, much of the improvements to OSX are in terms of the built-in apps and services, such as the iCloud KeyChain, which will store passwords, credit card numbers and other valuable information, and synchronise them with people's other (Apple) devices.
Enhanced integration of information and apps means, for example, that not only are appointments synchronised across devices, but the weather can also be displayed for each appointment.
However, much of this was previewed earlier in the summer, although regular Mac users will be gratified to know that the update to OSX Mavericks will be free for users of machines going as far back as 2007 when OSX Snow Leopard was launched.
