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Here’s the “TL;DR” version of today’s Apple event

by Postmaster General | Sep 9, 2015 | Announcements, Apple Inc., iOS Devices, New and Hot

Instead of wading through the vast seas of press and tech coverage for this morning’s Apple event in San Francisco, here’s the “Too Long; Didn’t Read” condensed version:

Apple Watch

Announced new version of OS for its watches, WatchOS 2, available September 16th
WatchOS 2 gives third party developers access to watch’s sensors, the Digital Crown, microphone, and Taptic engine, along with the ability to build more complex animations
Announced new Apple Watch models, including those as a result of a partnership with Hermes, and new gold-and-rose and gold-and-anodized-aluminum finishes
Now over 10,000 apps for Apple Watch

Apple iPad family

Announced iPad Pro, a much larger tablet with a 12.9-inch, 2732×2048 Retina display
First availability won’t be until sometime in November
iPad Pro comes with new A9X 64-bit processor, claimed to have twice the memory bandwidth and storage performance of previous A8 processor, and to run 22X faster than the original first-gen iPad
Graphics performance also drastically improved
iPad Pro comes with a four-speaker audio system that automatically adjusts to screen orientation from portrait to landscape
Announced new magnetic Smart Keyboard (doubles as a cover) for $169
Smart Keyboard doesn’t use Bluetooth, but connects via new magnetic triple port on iPad Pro
Announced new Apple Pencil pressure-sensitive stylus for $99
iPad Pro available in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray finishes
Wi-Fi-only 32GB iPad Pro is $799; 128GB is $949
Only the 128GB iPad Pro will be available with cellular, for $1079
Other iPad models shift price points around. Entry level is now the iPad mini 2 16GB for $279.

Apple TV

Totally new fourth-gen box and set of features, with a 32GB model for $149 and 64GB model for $199
Original third-gen Apple TV will remain available, and still sell for $69
Only availability information for new Apple TV is “coming soon”
Much faster A8 processor
New remote has a glass multi-touch surface, volume control, and microphone for access to Siri
Siri allows voice command of menus, pop-up overlays, video navigation, movie and TV program selection (including suggestions), and much more
Remote also has motion sensitivity and a gyroscope to allow Wii-like control over games and other functions
Apple TV now has Bluetooth 4.0 and 801.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO
Onscreen menu now offers access to the App Store
Debut of TV OS, an iOS-based operating system that is supposed to make things a lot easier for developers

Apple iPhone family

Apple announced two new phones: the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus. Physically, they look practically identical to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
But the new models’ screens come with a tougher “dual ion-exchange” glass
The new phones also feature pressure-sensitive touchscreens that work like the new Force Touch trackpad on the most recent MacBooks. Apple calls this “3D Touch.”
Both cameras have been improved, along with their flash technology
The back-facing iSight camera now captures 12 megapixels, and can record 4K video
The front-facing FaceTime HD camera now captures 5 megapixels
Rose Gold joins the previously available three finishes (Silver, Gold, and Space Gray)
A Live Photo feature has also been added, which automatically captures a few seconds of video and sound around still photos. Push firmly on a photo, and it plays the video.
Prices start at $199 for the 6S and $299 for the 6s Plus, with contract, for 16GB models
Jumping to a 64GB model adds $100, and to a 128GB model adds another $200
For teh first time, Apple offers off-contract pricing starting at $649 and $749, again for the 16GB models of the 6S and 6S Plus.
The new iPhones may be pre-ordered on September 12, and are slated to begin delivery September 25th

Miscellaneous

The next major upgrade to iOS, version 9, will be available next Wednesday (September 16th). Any device currently running iOS 8 will be able to upgrade to the new version.

Want to watch the live stream of Apple’s September 9th event? Here’s how.

by Postmaster General | Sep 8, 2015 | Apple Inc., Events & Promotions, iOS Devices, Mac, Tech News

Tomorrow morning (Wednesday), at 10am PDT (1pm Eastern, 6pm BST, 7pm CEST), Apple presents an invitation-only keynote, teased with the phrase seen in the graphic above: “Siri, give us a hint.”

That could be interpreted several ways, but most pundits agree Apple will, at the very least, announce new iPhone models. There are also rumors of a larger, more advanced Apple TV set-top box and new iPads, including the tantalizing possibility of a larger-screen “pro” iPad. But truth be told, outside the halls of Apple’s corporate offices, no one knows for sure exactly what the event will unveil.

But you can find out, in real time. Apple is live-streaming the presentation, which will take place in San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. And you can watch it by heading over to this link. But bear in mind, there are some requirements:

“Live streaming uses Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology. HLS requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Safari on iOS 7.0 or later, a Mac with Safari 6.0.5 or later on OS X v10.8.5 or later, or a PC with Microsoft Edge on Windows 10. Streaming via Apple TV requires a second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 6.2 or later.”

You might also want to keep a tab or two open in your browser for one or more of these tech site’s live blogs of the shindig:

Wait, what? With ANY new Mac purchase, get an Epson Expression Home XP-420 All-in-One for $25.

by Postmaster General | Aug 27, 2015 | Apple Inc., Events & Promotions, Mac

So we’re having a Mac sale.

It starts today, and runs through Monday, August 31st. The occasion? The end of summer, when we put away the croquet mallets, deflate the Tahitis, and contemplate heading back.

Back to work. Back to school. Back to civilization.

We’d like to ease the transition a bit. You want to hit the ground running this fall, be it at school, work, home, or Mars. And the best way to do that is with a new Mac from Yours Truly.

Epson Expression XP-420 All-in-One Printer/Scanner/Copier

Epson Expression Home XP-420 All-in-One Printer/Scanner/Copier. MSRP: $99.99

So we’re having a Mac sale. Besides up to 18-months interest-free financing and our generous trade-in offers for your late-model used PCs and Macs, we’ve gone one very large step further:

Buy any new Mac from Connecting Point, and you can pick up a new Epson Expression Home XP-420 All-in-One printer/scanner/copier for 25 bucks. Wait, what?

This Epson normally retails for $99.99. That’s, like, 75% off.

Do we have your attention? Cool. Find out more here.

VIDEO: Three new videos debut in support of nascent Apple Music service

by Postmaster General | Aug 17, 2015 | Uncategorized

Apple has released three new commercials in support of its recently launched Apple Music service. The overarching theme of the ads is the tagline “All the artists you love and are about to love, all in one place.”

One 30-second spot shines a spotlight on Norwegian DJ/producer Kygo:

Another 30-second video showcases popular British singer/songwriter James Bay:

The last ad, entitled ‘Discovery,’ is a full minute long. Rather than concentrating on a single artist, it offers several, including Bay, Kygo, Leon Bridges, and Flo Morrissey. Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor serves as its narrator:

VIDEO: Apple posts ‘Backstage’ parody sketch from Monday’s WWDC keynote

by Postmaster General | Jun 12, 2015 | Advertising, Announcements, Apple Inc., Events & Promotions

To kick off this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday morning, Apple presented a video lampooning the lengths to which companies go to produce gala keynote presentations. The sketch stars SNL’s Bill Hader as the director “rehearsing” for the WWDC keynote – with disastrous results. It also features a number of celebrity cameos, shout outs to popular apps, and inside references to Silicon Valley culture.