Now the entry price for a new iMac is $200 less, as Apple debuts $1099 model

Apple iMac 21.5-inch, front viewToday, Apple announced a new entry-level iMac priced at $1099 – $200 less than the previous entry-level model (which, like all the other iMac® models, remains current). It retains many features identical to its two 21.5-inch brethren:

  • 21.5-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology, 1920×1080 pixels
  • 8GB DDR3 memory (not expandable)
  • FaceTime HD camera
  • Built-in downward-firing stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • Headphone/optical digital output
  • Four USB 3.0 ports; Two Thunderbolt ports; SDXC card slot
  • Gigabit Ethernet; 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0
  • Apple Wireless Keyboard and wireless Magic Mouse
  • OS X Mavericks operating system

So what’s different? A few key changes have been made to reduce the cost:

  • 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, with Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz. Contrast this with the substantially faster (2.7GHz and 2.9GHz) quad-core processors in the other two models. The L3 cache is smaller, too, and shared by the two processor cores.
  • 500GB 5400 RPM SATA hard drive, in place of the 1 TB hard drives in the other models.
  • Intel HD Graphics 5000, in lieu of Intel Iris Pro graphics in the $1299 model, and  the 1GB NVIDIA GT 750M graphics in the $1499 model.

To better see how the new model fits in with the other 21-5-inch models, click here.

AVAILABILITY: We’ll be accepting orders for this new iMac model immediately. Fulfillment will depend on initial supplies and demand, which could push delivery to as much as two weeks away.

Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

A Mac for Dad: On sale this weekend for Father’s Day

A new Mac for Dad for Father's DayA Mac for Dad | June 6th, 7th, and (Medford only) 8th

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro with SuperDriveThis weekend, Connecting Point wants to make it both easy and affordable to get a Dad a new Mac® for Father’s Day:

  • Buy any Mac with AppleCare®, receive a $50 store gift card.
  • Buy any Mac with AppleCare and a qualifying HP or Epson All-in-One, and it goes up to a $75 store gift card.

Got an old computer you’ve outgrown? Bring it in with you. We’ll be evaluating both Macs and PCs for trade-in all weekend long. We can even transfer your files from the old computer into a new Mac.*

To make your graduation purchase even easier, we’ve made arrangements for up to 18 months of interest-free financing* with your good credit.

Connecting Point General Manager Jeff Thomas spoke with KTVL News 10’s Ashley Carrasco about other ideas for high-tech Father’s Day gifts:

http://www.ktvl.com/community/features/live-morning/stories/vid_249.shtml

http://www.ktvl.com/community/features/live-morning/stories/vid_250.shtml

These offers available at our Medford and Bend stores Friday and Saturday (June 6th and 7th), and also Sunday, June 8th at our Medford store.

*There is a charge for this service.

Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

A Mac, iPad or iPhone for your graduate: On sale this weekend

Graduation gift ideas from Connecting PointA Mac, iPad, or iPhone for your Graduate | May 30th, 31st, and (in Medford) June 1st

Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display, 13- and 15-inch models, side-by-sideConnecting Point has long offered education pricing for college students and full-time educators. But this weekend, we’re widening that offer to include graduating high school seniors. Here’s how your graduate can save $150 by purchasing any Mac® with AppleCare® from Connecting Point:

  • Take $50 off the price of any Mac
  • Take $50 off the price of AppleCare
  • Get a $50 Connecting Point Gift Card

iPad with Retina Display - white and black modelsCollege-bound scholars need the best tech at their disposal – and that includes tablets and smartphones. And the best of class for these devices are Apple iPad® and iPhone®. As a Verizon Wireless Authorized Retailer, we’ll be sharpening our pencils to give you the most value for your dollar:

  • Up to $200 off any Verizon iPad with 2-year activation
  • Free case with any iPad or iPhone with 2-year Verizon activation
  • Free iPhone 5c (or $100 off iPhone 5s)
  • Free activation (a $35 value)
  • Discounts on select iPad and iPhone accessories

Got an old computer you’ve outgrown? Bring it in with you. We’ll be evaluating both Macs and PCs for trade-in all weekend long. We can even transfer your valuable files from the old computer to your new Mac.**

To make your graduation purchase even easier, we’ve made arrangements for up to 18 months of interest-free financing* with your good credit.

These offers available at our Medford and Bend stores Friday and Saturday (May 30th and 31st), and also Sunday, June 1st at our Medford store.

*On qualifying purchases made with your GE Capital Retail Bank Home Design credit card between May 23rd, 2014 and January 16th, 2015. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the promotional purchase is not paid in full within 6, 12, or 18 months.

**There is a charge for this service.

New two-year activation, upgrade, early termination fee may apply. Coverage details at VerizonWireless.com.

Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, iPad, and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Rockin’ new Apple iPhone 5s TV spot ‘Powerful,’ featuring cover of Pixies’ ‘Gigantic’

Tagline: “You’re more powerful than you think.”

We don’t know about you, but we can’t get the song out of our heads – total earworm material. As a bonus, here are its originators, the Pixies, in a live performance recorded in London in 1988:

Get Mom a new iPhone 5c from Connecting Point, FREE (with 2-year activation)!

Get Mom a new iPhone 5c FREE from Connecting Point on Saturday, May 10th, 2014Think outside the box…

All day long Saturday, May 10th, get Mom an iPhone® 5c – FREE!* from Connecting Point, your original Apple® Specialist and Authorized Verizon Wireless Retailer.

Get all the details here.

Apple, the Apple logo, and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

*New two-year activation, upgrade, early termination fee may apply. Coverage details at Verizonwireless.com.

Apple Mac Pro now in stock at Bend and Medford locations

It’s an elusive beast, but we’ve finally managed to capture one.

Mac Pro on display at Medford Connecting Point

Mac Pro on display in Medford

We refer, of course, to Apple’s most powerful desktop system, the Mac Pro. It is a completely re-imagined workstation-class Mac, designed from the ground up for the most demanding applications. If you are editing video, rendering 3D models, or working with gigantic Photoshop files, this is the computer for you.

This particular version features a quad-core Xeon processor, 12GB of memory, and 256GB of ultra-fast flash storage. And even though it’s just under 10 inches tall, the expansion options are incredible. With its six Thunderbolt 2 ports and dual AMD FirePro D300 graphics processors, you can drive an array of three 4K displays, or six Apple Thunderbolt displays.

Mac Pro on display at Bend Connecting Point

Mac Pro on display in Bend

The unusual cylindrical design of the new Mac Pro has been a polarizing one. We think it’s beautiful, a triumphant wedding of industrial design and art. What do you think of its surprisingly compact, shiny minimalist blackness?

We’ve got it on display right now in both our Medford and Bend stores. We invite you to stop in and unleash this beautiful beast.