Following Apple’s iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro launch last month, the MacBook lineup is next up for major product updates from Apple. What needs upgrading? All MacBooks are approaching or passing the one year mark since last being updated — MacBook Airs in March of last year, the new 12-inch MacBook in April, and the Retina MacBook Pros in March and May. But where might the new machines leave the rest of the lineup?

Will Apple do some spring cleaning to make room for the new models? Perhaps it will lose the 11-inch option in the process as it pushes the new 12-inch MacBook as its best small-screen laptop? And Apple could potentially do some further reconfiguring if it really launches that rumored ultra-thin 15-inch MacBook model.

With Apple’s usual yearly upgrade cycle, all of the models mentioned above as well as the rumored new configurations are prime candidates for product unveilings at Apple’s upcoming WWDC event held each June. To get a glimpse at what Apple has in store, below we explore what we currently know about the upcoming models based on the latest rumors, reports, and intel, and give you a taste of what to expect at WWDC.  more…

Filed under: Mac Tagged: 15-inch MacBook, Apple, MacBook, release date, rumors, specs, WWDC 2016

As CNBC notes, Apple’s stock is seeing a noticeable afternoon dive following a supply chain report that iPhone production will remain reduced from April through June. Nikkei Asian Review issued the report earlier today:

Slow sales of the flagship iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, which debuted last autumn, have forced Apple to adjust inventories. It lowered production for the January-March quarter by about 30% from the year-earlier period. With sales still sluggish, the U.S. company has told parts suppliers in Japan and elsewhere that it will maintain the reduced output level in the current quarter.

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Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: AAPL, iPhone

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TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro 2.5GHz/16GB/512GB (newest version): $1,940 shipped (Reg. $2,499)

Apple’s latest 256GB Retina MacBook Pro: $1,200 (Reg. $1,499) – $99 less than list price of 128GB model

Apple 12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.2GHz/8GB/512GB: from $1,250 w/ .edu

Samsung 55-inch 4K 120Hz Smart UHDTVs: $1,200 (Reg. $1,500), 3D $1,375 (Reg. $1,800)

Games/Apps: Rayman Origins for Mac $5, Shovel Knight $10, Xbox One 1TB + 3 Games $315, freebies, more

Upgrade Your Mac with 3 Great Apps: Scapple $9 (Orig. $15), STAMP Premium $5 (Orig. $10), Ghostnote $7 (Orig. $10)

Get a $100 iTunes Gift Card for $85 delivered via email from PayPal (15% savings)

Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro 32GB Wi-Fi in Silver: $670 shipped (Reg. $799), more

Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular in all colors: $860 shipped (Reg. $1,079)

App Store Free App of the Week: Space Marshals goes free for the very first time ($5 value)

BADLAND 1 & 2 for iOS now matching lowest prices ever from $1 (Reg. $5)

Anthill for iOS drops down to its lowest price in years: $1 (Reg. $2)

Brothers A Tale of Two Sons iOS puzzle-adventure game gets its first price drop: $2 (Reg. $5)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Seagate Expansion 5TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive: $110 shipped (Reg. $130+)

• LG Music Flow P7 20W 2-Channel Bluetooth Speaker: $43 shipped (Orig. $150)
• Daily Deals: LG 34-inch UltraWide Monitor w/ Thunderbolt $591, more
• Bluetooth 4.1 Earbuds w/ Prime shipping: QCY w/ Mic $22, Mpow Wolverine $16, more
• Smartphone Accessories: Bestek 6-Outlet Surge Protector with 4 USB Charging Ports $19
• Magazine bundles with titles from $4/yr: Wired, GQ, ESPN, Dwell, more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Jackery USB Power Banks: 6000mAh w/ MFi Lightning Cable $20 (Reg. $30), 20100mAh USB-C $36 (Reg. $50)

• LEGO Star Wars Buildable Figurines from $17 including Luke Skywalker, more
• Google Play MP3 albums for $1: Notorious B.I.G. Life After Death (Remastered), Fetty Wap, more
• Pebble Time iOS/Android Smartwatch with color e-paper display: $105 shipped (Reg. $130+)
• Philips Hue Starter Kits (1st gen): Lux $56 (Orig. $80), White & Color $135 (Orig. $170)
• Philips Hue discounted bundles: 4-pack A19 white & color bulbs $199 (Reg. $240), more
• Stay online when the power goes out with the APC Back-UPS Power Supply for $20 (Reg. $30)
• TarDisk Pear solid-state expansion drive for MacBook 15% off
• BenQ 1080p 3D DLP Home Theater Projector (Refurb) $500 (Orig, $1,199)
• Fashion: Eddie Bauer 30% off – Resolution Activewear Tee $21, more
• Free two-month Audible trial for new customers (Reg. $15/mo.), more
• Green Deals: Aukey 12000mAh Solar Dual-USB Power Bank $25 (Reg. $30+), more
• Samsung 48-inch Smart 4K UHDTV w/ 3 HDMI + 2 USB ports: $450 (Reg. $800)
• QNAP 2-Bay Personal Cloud NAS w/ DLNA & PLEX: $139 shipped (Reg. $179)
• JBL Control One All-Weather Indoor/Outdoor Speakers w/ mounting brackets: $60 (Orig. $240)
• Green Deals: Esky Solar/Handcrank Radio + 1000mAh Power Bank $18 (Reg. $22), more
• Home: TP-LINK Wi-Fi Smart Plug $23 (Reg. $30), more
• Get your first month free of the comic subscription service Marvel Unlimited ($10 value)
• Enhance your computer audio w/ Mackie’s CR4 50W Reference Speakers for $115 (Reg. $150)
• Smartphone Accessories: Polk Boom Swimmer Bluetooth Speaker $20 (Reg. $30), more
• Fashion: Patagonia up to 50% off – 1/4 Zip Pullover $64, Board shorts $39, more
• HDTVs: Seiki 42-Inch 4K $225, VIZIO 24-inch Smart 1080p (Refurb) $90, more
• Media: Shrek The Whole Story Blu-ray $20, iTunes movies $10 – The Big Short, more
• This 40-inch BÖHM Soundbar is loaded with inputs including Bluetooth: $71 (Reg. $119)
• Green Deals: Aukey 12000mAh Solar Dual-USB Power Bank $25 (Reg. $30+), more
• Twelve South brushed metal HiRise Apple Watch stand: $40 Prime shipped (Reg. $50)
• Free Kindle eBooks: 30 Interactive Brainteasers (Reg. $1), many more
• Audio-Technica ATH-M30x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones: $49 shipped (Reg. $69)
• TP-Link Archer C7 AC Gigabit Wi-Fi Router + DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem $110 (Reg. $145+)

What if I told you that you could get a great Apple Milanese Loop knockoff for a tenth of the price ($16 Prime shipped)?

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

LEGO reveals a massive 1,600 piece Minecraft set loaded with zombies, more

Improve your kitchen skills with the best under $10 utensils

• Some of the best SNES games of all-time hit Nintendo’s 3DS eShop
• Amazon’s new $290 Kindle Oasis is a slim, luxury e-reader with months of battery life
• The Lycan Powerbox is a robust solar generator with a swappable battery system
• Impossible Project reveals its Polaroid-style analog camera with iOS connectivity
• JBL’s new Reflect Aware C noise cancelling headphones are powered by USB Type-C
• You probably won’t own Lytro’s new 755MP Cinema Camera but you’ll enjoy its benefits
• GoPro’s new Omni Virtual Reality rig leverages six HERO4 Black action cameras
• Epson’s latest ‘Small-in-One’ printer weighs in at a fraction of the competition
• Twelve South introduces new TimePorter capsule for Apple Watch and charger
• Ryobi’s new Ultra Quiet Garage Door Opener has a Bluetooth speaker and more
• Roku introduces a new quad-core streaming stick with a slimmed down design
• Apogee releases its most affordable full-featured Mac recording interface yet
• The Yecup 365 travel mug uses your iPhone to heat or cool your drink
• ROAM-e follows you around in the sky and takes selfies on demand

Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, app deals, Best Buy, Daily Deals, free apps, Gold Box, video games

Earlier this week Apple TV added CBS and the newly launched Starz app to its growing list of universal search channels, which lets you use Siri or the Search app to find movies and TV shows across multiple channels in a single search. Now Siri has learned another new skill called Live Tune-In, which lets you easily jump right into live programming with a single voice command using Siri Remote.

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Filed under: Apple TV Tagged: Apple TV, Siri

The new Ghostbusters movie reboot is set for release in theatres this July, and alongside the film Activision and Sony announced today they will release Ghostbusters: Slime City for mobile devices, including iOS. The company just sent over a first look at the game including a trailer with brief gameplay shots and some screenshots below.

The storyline in the game will take place after the events that unfold in the new movie, and the characters will not be clones of the film’s cast but rather a new selection of heroes. The new Ghostbusters movie is a reboot of the original film and features an all female cast in the main roles, including: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones.

The rundown on gameplay in Ghostbusters: Slime City from the press release:

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Filed under: Apps Tagged: App Store, Ghostbusters

I talked earlier this week about how I’d rationalize Apple’s MacBook lineup, so now it’s time to look at the desktop lineup.

I argued on Tuesday that the MacBook range was more complicated than it needs to be, and could be simplified by having a ‘good’ and ‘better’ version of each model, with custom-builds available for those who want ‘best.’ I also suggested that Apple be a little more generous with its specs as part of that simplification process.

Things are a little less clear-cut with desktop Macs, but I still think some cleaning-up of the options would be beneficial …

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Filed under: Mac, Opinion

Yesterday Apple kicked off two campaigns to promote Earth Day next week, and today Apple Stores around the world are going green to signal support. The leaf portion of the Apple logo that hovers above the entrance of each Apple Store shifts from white to green around Earth Day each year, and this year we’re seeing those leaflets illuminate green a full week in advance. Apple Stores are observing Earth Day in other ways this year too…

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Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Store, Earth Day

With fresh rumors of ultra-thin MacBooks on the way this year, LG’s new 15-inch Gram laptop gives a clue as to just how sleek they might be. Borrowing heavily from the MacBook/MacBook Air design, the Core i5 or i5 machine weighs in at just 2.2 pounds – half the weight of the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

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Filed under: Mac Tagged: 13-inch MacBook, 15-inch MacBook, MacBook, MacBook Air

Apple’s ninth annual Environmental Responsibility Report summarises the company’s work on its three environmental priorities of renewable energy, safer materials & processes and conserving resources. As part of the third of those, the company revealed that its recycling program last year recovered 89 million pounds of materials – Business Insider noting that this included a cool $40M worth of gold.

Gold is commonly used in circuit boards because it has low electrical resistance and, unlike copper, doesn’t corrode. In most applications, a thin layer of gold covers a thicker layer of copper – which was a second valuable material recovered by Apple …

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Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: environment, Environmental Responsibility Report, Gold, iPhone, Mac, Recycling

Although it seems inevitable that the MacBook lineup will see some significant changes this year, as a major upgrade has been due for a while, the rumor mill is yet to close in one particular design or release date. Earlier in the year, Digitimes was reporting new MacBooks (intended to supplant the MacBook Air) are due sometime before July, resembling 13 inch and 15 inch versions of the 12 inch Retina MacBook.

A new report from Digitimes today says otherwise, suggesting the new MacBooks will not be available until the second half of this year, although an announcement at WWDC still seems possible if Apple met the earlier side of that release range.

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Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices, Mac, Tech Industry Tagged: Apple, DigiTimes, iOS, Mac, MacBook Pro, Retina MacBook, rumor