Apple Upgrades iMac, MacBook

Apple's new entry-level laptop has 11-inch screen, weighs 2.38 pounds

(NEWSER) - Apple unveiled its latest version of the MacBook Air yesterday, and it’s a beauty. The new machine runs the Lion OS, sports either a Core i5 or Core i7 processor, and has such bells and whistles as a backlit keyboard and a Thunderbolt port, the Christian Science Monitor reports. And it’s all wrapped in a laptop that weighs either 2.38 pounds (for the 11-inch model) or 3 pounds (for the 13-inch model) and costs as little as $999. More»

With Steve Jobs' ailing health, company looking at options: Journal

(NEWSER) - As much as Apple fans might believe otherwise, Steve Jobs might not be able to run the company forever. With the company CEO on another medical leave , some board members have held discussions with recruiters and the head of another big tech company to talk about succession, says the Wall Street Journal . It describes the talks as an "informal exploration of options." More»

Thunderbolt is super-fast and should eliminate wire clutter

(NEWSER) - Apple quietly announced a refresh in its MacBook Pros this week, but the little-heralded machines might bring a big change with them. The computers will be the first to have a Thunderbolt port and protocol, a data system so blazingly fast it might just finally resign USB to the dustbin of history, Fast Company reports. Thunderbolt can transfer up to 10 gigabits per second, making it 20 times faster than USB 2.0. More»

The iKey? Why not?

(NEWSER) - Steve Jobs may be stepping back , but that’s no reason to stop being jazzed about all things Apple: The company snagged a whopping 563 patents last year, some of which are sure to eventually see the light of day. Mashable reports on 10 you should be particularly excited about:

• iBike: A smart bike concept that tracks data like your heart rate, the bike’s speed, and distance on your iPod or iPhone.
• Wand remote: A remote control for your Apple TV that functions like a Wii remote, using motion control.

Company was working on it as it developed iPad

(NEWSER) - Not sold on Apple’s new iPad? Well, if the tech rumor mill is correct (assuming it isn’t completely busted from the leadup to last week’s unveiling), “Apple is pretty far along on work on second tablet device,” MG Siegler reports for TechCrunch . “A bigger one. And this one may be much more like a Mac than an iPhone.” More»