Apple Rolls Out New MacBook Air, mini, Mac OS X Lion And First Thunderbolt Display

Apple on Wednesday updated two of its computers, the MacBook Air and the Mac mini, with next-generation processors and the new Mac OS X Lion operating system. The company also released first Thunderbolt display. Mac OS X Lion

Apple's updated devices are running on the Mac OS X Lion, the eighth major release of the company's operating system. Available today as a download from the Mac App Store for $29.99, the new OS includes new Multi-Touch gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, a view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.

"Lion makes upgrading a Mac easier than ever before; just launch the Mac App Store, buy Lion with your iTunes account, and the download and install process will begin automatically," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

Additional new features in Lion include:

- Resume, which brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
- Auto Save, which automatically and continuously saves your documents as you work;
- Versions, which automatically records the history of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, revert and even copy and paste from previous versions; and
- AirDrop, which finds nearby Macs and automatically sets up a peer-to-peer wireless connection to make transferring files quick and easy.

Mac OS X Lion is available as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.6.6 Snow Leopard from the Mac App Store for $29.99 (US). Lion will be also made available on a USB thumb drive through the Apple Store (www.apple.com) for $69 (US). Mac OS X Lion Server requires Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for $49.99 (US).

First Thunderbolt Display

Apple also today unveiled the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, the first display with Thunderbolt I/O technology and a docking station for your Mac notebook. With just a single cable, users can connect a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac to the 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt Display and access its FaceTime camera, audio, and Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt ports. Designed specifically for Mac notebooks, the new display features a thin, aluminum and glass enclosure, and includes a MagSafe connector that charges your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.

With a 16:9 edge-to-edge glass design, the Thunderbolt Display uses IPS technology to provide high-quality image across a wide 178 degree viewing angle. Any Thunderbolt-enabled Mac notebook can dock with the display to easily create a full-fledged desktop solution. The Thunderbolt Display includes a built-in FaceTime HD video camera, a 2.1 speaker system, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port and a Thunderbolt port for daisy chaining up to five additional Thunderbolt devices.

The Thunderbolt Display is the world's first display to include Thunderbolt I/O technology. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to 10Gbps each, each Thunderbolt port delivers PCI Express directly to external peripherals such as high performance storage and RAID arrays, supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Thunderbolt-based Macs with discrete graphics can drive two external displays giving professional users over 7 million additional pixels of display real estate and the ability to daisy chain additional Thunderbolt devices, as well as video and audio capture devices.

The Thunderbolt Display includes an ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the display brightness based on external lighting conditions.

The new Thunderbolt Display will be available within the next 60 days through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US). The Apple Thunderbolt Display requires a Mac with a Thunderbolt I/O port.

New MacBook Air

Apple 's updated the MacBook Air comes with next generation processors, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology, a backlit keyboard and Mac OS X Lion. The MacBook Air starts at $999 (US) and is available for order today and in stores tomorrow.

MacBook Air is available in 11-inch and 13-inch models. The MacBook Air?s durable aluminum unibody enclosure measures a thin 0.11-inches at its thinnest point and 0.68-inches at its thickest. Flash storage allows MacBook Air to turn on instantly and deliver fast data access, improved reliability and energy efficiency. The 11-inch model weighs 2.38 pounds and provides up to 5 hours of battery life, while the 13-inch weighs 2.96 pounds and provides up to 7 hours of battery life.

With the latest Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors, the new MacBook Air is up to twice as fast as the previous generation. MacBook Air also features Intel HD Graphics 3000 and offers up to 4GB of faster 1333 MHz memory.

Thunderbolt I/O technology provides expansion possibilities never before available to MacBook Air users. Through a single cable, users can connect to high performance peripherals and the new Apple Thunderbolt Display. Thunderbolt can be adapted to support legacy connections such as FireWire and Gigabit Ethernet.

MacBook Air comes with a full size backlit keyboard and a glass Multi-Touch trackpad. The backlit keyboard uses a sensor to automatically detect a change in ambient lighting and adjusts the keyboard brightness for any environment. The Multi-Touch trackpad supports Lion?s new Multi-Touch gestures such as momentum scrolling, tapping or pinching your fingers to zoom in on a web page or image, and swiping left or right to turn a page or switch between full screen apps.

MacBook Air also features a high resolution LED backlit display. With Wi-Fi, you can wirelessly download apps from the Mac App Store, get music and movies from iTunes, back up data to Time Capsule and share files using AirDrop. MacBook Air includes Bluetooth for wireless peripherals and two USB ports.

Every new MacBook Air comes with Mac OS X Lion and iLife apps for creating and sharing photos, movies and music.

The 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air are available for order on the Apple Store (www.apple.com) today and in Apple?s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers starting July 21. The 1.6 GHz 11-inch MacBook Air is available in two models, one with 2GB of memory and 64GB of flash storage for a suggested retail price of $999 (US), and one with 4GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage for $1,199 (US). The 1.7 GHz 13-inch MacBook Air comes in two configurations, one with 4GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US), and one with 4GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage for $1,599 (US). Configure-to-order options and accessories include a 1.8 GHz Core i7 processor, additional flash storage, MacBook Air SuperDrive and a USB Ethernet Adapter.

Mac mini updated

The Mac mini has been also updated with next generation Intel core processors, new discrete graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and Lion OS. Starting at just $599 (US), the new Mac mini is available for order today and in stores tomorrow.

At just 7.7-inches square and 1.4-inches thin, the new Mac mini maintains its compact aluminum design while delivering high performance and graphics capabilities. Available in three different configurations, Apple's customers can choose a Mac mini with the latest dual-core Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processors, AMD Radeon HD 6630M discrete graphics, or a quad-core Intel Core i7 powered server configuration. Designed without an optical disc drive, Mac mini can access the optical drives on other PCs and Macs, and works with the MacBook Air SuperDrive. Configure-to-order options include up to 8 GBs of memory, a faster 7200 RPM hard drive and a 256GB solid state drive.

Mac mini now comes with Thunderbolt I/O technology for expansion possibilities. With a Thunderbolt port, Mac mini can connect to peripherals such as high-performance storage devices, RAID arrays and the new Apple Thunderbolt Display.

With Wi-Fi you can wirelessly download apps from the Mac App Store, get music and movies from iTunes, back up data to Time Capsule and share files with AirDrop, which makes transferring files quick. Mac mini includes Bluetooth for wireless peripherals and four USB ports.

The new Mac mini is available through the Apple Store (www.apple.com) today and in Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers starting July 21.

The 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 2GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $599 (US), with options to add memory up to 8GB and a 750GB hard drive.

The 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $799 (US), with options to upgrade to a 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of memory, and a 750GB hard drive with an option to add or replace with a 256GB solid state drive.

The 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini with Lion Server, 4GB of memory and dual 500GB hard drives starts at a suggested retail price of $999 (US). Options include adding memory up to 8GB, two 750GB hard drives, or up to two 256GB solid state drives.

Specifications

	11-inch MacBook Air		13-inch MacBook Air
Display High-resolution LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with support for millions of colors.	11.6-inch (diagonal) high-resolution LED-backlit widescreen display with support for millions of colors Supported resolutions: 1366 by 768 (native), 1344 by 756, and 1280 by 720 pixels at 16:9 aspect ratio; 1152 by 720 and 1024 by 640 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768 and 800 by 600 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio		13.3-inch (diagonal) high-resolution LED-backlit widescreen display with support for millions of colors Supported resolutions: 1440 by 900 (native), 1280 by 800, 1152 by 720, and 1024 by 640 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768 and 800 by 600 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio
Size and Weight Ultrathin and ultralight unibody aluminum construction.	Height: 0.11-0.68 inch (0.3-1.7 cm) Width: 11.8 inches (30 cm) Depth: 7.56 inches (19.2 cm) Weight: 2.38 pounds (1.08 kg)¹		Height: 0.11-0.68 inch (0.3-1.7 cm) Width: 12.8 inches (32.5 cm) Depth: 8.94 inches (22.7 cm) Weight: 2.96 pounds (1.35 kg)¹
Storage All-flash storage.	64GB flash storage	128GB flash storage	128GB flash storage	256GB flash storage
Processor and Memory Powered by a dual-core Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and DDR3 memory.	Processor 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache $1199 model configurable to dual-core 1.8GHz Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache, only at the Apple Online Store.		Processor 1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache $1599 model configurable to dual-core 1.8GHz Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache, only at the Apple Online Store.
	Memory 2GB ($999 model) or 4GB ($1199 model) of 1333MHz DDR3 onboard memory $999 model configurable to 4GB, only at the Apple Online Store.		Memory 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 onboard memory
Graphics Advanced Intel HD Graphics 3000.	Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 256MB or 384MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory		Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 384MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory
Video Support and Camera Built-in FaceTime camera.	FaceTime camera Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 2560 by 1600 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors
Connections and Expansion USB 2.0, Thunderbolt, headphone port, MagSafe power port, SD card slot (13-inch model).	Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps) Thunderbolt port		Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps) Thunderbolt port SD card slot
Battery and Power Lithium-polymer battery with MagSafe power adapter.	Wireless web Up to 5 hours Standby time Up to 30 days 35-watt-hour; 45W MagSafe Power Adapter with cable management system; MagSafe power port		Wireless web Up to 7 hours Standby time Up to 30 days 50-watt-hour; 45W MagSafe Power Adapter with cable management system; MagSafe power port
Wireless Latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies.	Wi-Fi 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking;IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
Audio Stereo speakers, microphone, and headphone.	Stereo speakers Omnidirectional microphone Headphone port Support for Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic
Electrical and Operating Requirements	Line voltage: 100-240V AC Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C) Storage temperature: -13° to 113° F (-24° to 45° C) Relative humidity: 0% to 90% noncondensing Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet
Limited Warranty and Service	Your MacBook Air comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date.
DVD or CD Sharing	With the Mac App Store, getting the apps you want on your Mac has never been easier. No more boxes, no more discs, no more time-consuming installation. Click once to download and install any app on your Mac. But if an app you need isn’t available from the Mac App Store, you can use DVD or CD Sharing. This convenient feature of OS X lets you wirelessly “borrow” the optical drive of a nearby Mac or PC. So you can install applications from a DVD or CD and have full access to an optical drive without having to carry one around.
In the Box	MacBook Air 45W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, and power cord Printed and electronic documentation
Included Software	OS X Lion Includes Mail, Address Book, iCal, the Mac App Store, iTunes, Safari, Time Machine, FaceTime, Photo Booth, Mission Control, Launchpad, AirDrop, Resume, Auto Save, Versions, Quick Look, Spotlight, QuickTime, and more. Lion Recovery OS X Lion includes a built-in set of tools for repairing your Mac in the Recovery HD, a new feature that lets you repair disks or reinstall OS X Lion without a physical disc. iLife Includes iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand.
Configurable Options	1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 4GB memory upgrade 256GB of flash storage Apple USB Ethernet Adapter Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter		1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 Apple USB Ethernet Adapter Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter

	2.3GHz Mac mini	2.5GHz Mac mini
Size and Weight The perfect fit for any desk.	Height: 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) Width: 7.7 inches (19.7 cm) Depth: 7.7 inches (19.7 cm) Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.22kg)	Height: 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) Width: 7.7 inches (19.7 cm) Depth: 7.7 inches (19.7 cm) Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.22kg)¹
Price	$599	$799
Processor and Memory Powered by a dual-core Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and DDR3 memory.	Processor 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache	Processor 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache Configurable to 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, only at the Apple Online Store.
	Memory 2GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory Configurable to 4GB or 8GB, only at the Apple Online Store.	Memory 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory Configurable to 8GB, only at the Apple Online Store.
Storage A 500GB hard drive comes standard.	500GB 500GB (5400-rpm) hard drive Both models configurable to 750GB (7200-rpm) hard drive; 2.5GHz model also configurable to 256GB solid-state drive or 256GB solid-state drive and 750GB (7200-rpm) hard drive, only at the Apple Online Store.
Graphics All-new graphics.	Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 288MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory	AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR5 memory
Video Support Works with almost any display or HDTV.	Thunderbolt port with support for up to 2560-by-1600 resolution HDMI port with support for up to 1920-by-1200 resolution DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (included) Support for dual display and video mirroring
Audio	Audio line in minijack (digital/analog) Audio line out/headphone minijack (digital/analog) HDMI port supports multichannel audio output Support for Apple iPhone headset with microphone Built-in speaker
Connections and Expansion A new Thunderbolt port, an HDMI port, and plenty of peripheral ports.	Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps) FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps) Four USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps) HDMI port SDXC card slot Gigabit Ethernet port Audio in/out
Communications The latest Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet technologies.	Wi-Fi 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology Ethernet 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
Electrical and Operating Requirements	Line voltage: 100-240V AC Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz, single phase Maximum continuous power: 85W Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C) Storage temperature: -40° to 116° F (-40° to 47° C) Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing Maximum altitude: 10,000 feet Typical acoustical performance Sound pressure level (operator position): 16 dBA at idle
Limited Warranty and Service	Your Mac mini comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date.
DVD or CD Sharing	With the Mac App Store, getting the apps you want on your Mac has never been easier. No more boxes, no more discs, no more time-consuming installation. Click once to download and install any app on your Mac. But if an app you need isn’t available from the Mac App Store, you can use DVD or CD Sharing. This convenient feature of OS X lets you wirelessly “borrow” the optical drive of a nearby Mac or PC. So you can install applications from a DVD or CD and have full access to an optical drive without having to carry one around.
In the Box	Mac mini HDMI to DVI Adapter Power cord Printed and electronic documentation
Included Software	OS X Lion Includes Mail, Address Book, iCal, the Mac App Store, iTunes, Safari, Time Machine, FaceTime, Photo Booth, Mission Control, Launchpad, AirDrop, Resume, Auto Save, Versions, Quick Look, Spotlight, QuickTime, and more. Lion Recovery OS X Lion includes a built-in set of tools for repairing your Mac in the Recovery HD, a new feature that lets you repair disks or reinstall OS X Lion without a physical disc. iLife Includes iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand.
Configurable Options	4GB DDR3 memory upgrade 8GB DDR3 memory upgrade 750GB (7200-rpm) hard drive Apple Remote	2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processor 8GB DDR3 memory upgrade 750GB (7200-rpm) hard drive 256GB solid-state drive 256GB solid-state drive and 750GB (7200-rpm) hard drive Apple Remote

Display 27 inches of high-resolution screen space.	27-inch (diagonal viewable image size) thin film transistor (TFT) active-matrix liquid crystal display (LCD) with in-plane switching (IPS) Resolution: 2560 by 1440 pixels Colors (maximum): 16.7 million Aspect ratio: 16:9 Viewing angle: 178° horizontal; 178° vertical Brightness: 375 cd/m2 Contrast ratio: 1000:1 Response time: 12 ms
Size and Weight	Height: 19.35 inches (49.1 cm) Width: 25.7 inches (65 cm) Depth (with stand): 8.15 inches (20.7 cm) Weight: 23.5 pounds (10.8 kg)
Price	$999
Cables and Peripheral Connections	Cables Built-in Thunderbolt cable Built-in Universal MagSafe cable (up to 85W) Peripheral connections Three powered USB 2.0 ports FireWire 800 port Gigabit Ethernet port Thunderbolt port Kensington security slot
Audio and Video	Built-in FaceTime HD camera with microphone Built-in 2.1 speaker system (49 watts)
System Requirements	Thunderbolt-enabled Mac computer, including MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac OS X v10.6.8 or later
Electrical and Operating Requirements	Input voltage: 100-240V AC; 50-60Hz Maximum power: 250W (Thunderbolt Display while charging MacBook Pro) Energy saver mode: 1W or less Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C) Storage temperature: -4° to 116° F (-20° to 47° C) Operating humidity: 20% to 80% noncondensing Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet
Limited Warranty and Service	Your Apple Thunderbolt Display comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your display’s purchase date.
In the Box	Apple Thunderbolt Display AC power cord Printed documentation
Additional Options	VESA Mount Adapter Kit AppleCare Protection Plan