So Apple is in the midst of their WWDC – World Wide Developer Conference.  The big announcements were all dished out on Monday.

Here are the relevant tidbits I want to share with you.

The Mac Book and Mac Book Pro lines were updated with the fastest Intel processors available.  Nothing has changed design wise from last year.   To reboot your brain, the Mac Book is the super slim 12 inch model.  The Mac Book Pro comes in 13 inch and 15 varieties.  The Mac Book and 13 inch Mac Book Pro start at $1299.  The 15 inch Mac Book Pro starts at $2399.   For most consumer Mac laptop buyers, I think the 13 inch at $1299 is going to be the ideal buy.  The keyboard feels different, but it is here to stay.  It’s not the 2006 – 2015 Mac laptop keyboard that was so great.  However, we will just have to get used to it.  Eventually, I think you can get up to 60 words per minute.

The beloved Mac Book Air was given a very small bump up in its processor, but Apple isn’t saying much about it.  They are not even calling it a NEW model like they are doing with the other Mac portables.  I expect the Mac Book Air to be phased out soon.  RIP.

Apple has all new iMacs available.  The processors are the latest available from Intel.  These iMacs start at $1099.  There is also a $1299 and a $1499 model in the 21.5 inch screen size.  The 27 inch models cost more.   Apple has not updated their iMacs in a good 18 months, so these new systems will have genuine appeal to Mac desktop buyers.   With any of these iMacs, I recommend a custom order from Apple’s website.  You will want the faster SSD or Fusion hard drive, a $100 to $200 upgrade on the lower end models.  For my typical customer, I think the $1299 model with the hard drive upgrade is just about perfect.

Apple overhauled their Pro line of iPads on Monday.   The line between iPad Pro and laptop seems really blurry at this point.  That’s not a bad thing.  You can use Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on an iPad Pro.  Slap on a keyboard and you will essentially have a “laptop.” Personally, I would still prefer the laptop. Apple is billing these new iPads as being more powerful than many laptop computers.   There is a new size available — 10.5 inches — to go along with the revised 12.9 inch model.  If you want just a basic iPad, the 9.7 inch model known just as the iPad (2017) is very fairly priced at $329.  The Pro models start $649.

You probably know that Apple has been pushing the wireless keyboard and mice for years with new systems. However, for the full keyboard with the numbers you needed to customize your order to buy the full keyboard (wired) with a new Mac or separately after the fact.  You can now order a Magic Keyboard (aka wireless) with the number pad built in.  It’s $129, but its sure to please those who want to cut out the wires and use spreadsheets or other numerical functions on a regular basis.