*By Carlo Versano*
Apple on Tuesday unveiled updated versions of its MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and iPad Pro lines from an event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
The biggest update came in the form of a redesigned iPad Pro, the high-end model of the tablet the company debuted eight years ago and which Cook described on stage as "a magical piece of glass that transforms instantly into anything you want it to be."
The new Pro features rounded corners, a nearly edge-to-edge display, USB-C connection, the Face ID technology pioneered on the iPhone X, and more powerful processors that Apple ($AAPL) is marketing toward creative professionals and gamers. Like the X, the newest iteration of the iPad Pro has dispatched with the home button and relies on swiping gestures.
Apple also refreshed the $129 Apple Pencil, which can now attach to the side of the device magnetically, pair automatically, and charge wirelessly.
The iPad Pro comes in two screen sizes: 11 and 12.9 inches. The 11-inch model is roughly the same size as the prior 10.5-inch model, a feat engineered by reducing the bezel. The models start at $799 and $999 respectively.
Apple also overhauled its oft-overlooked Mac Mini computer by adding major performance boosts, 2 TB of flash storage, and ports for ethernet, USB, HDMI, and thunderbolt connections. The new Mini is five times faster than its previous version, the company said. It starts at $799 and does not include a keyboard or monitor.
But perhaps no announcement was more anticipated than the unveiling of the new MacBook Air, Apple's hugely popular entry-level laptop that, revolutionary a decade ago, started to look long in the tooth as other computers came on the market rivaling it in speed, thinness, and weight.
"When Steve pulled that MacBook Air out of that [envelope](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeQlgdZZJBw), it was clear things would never be the same," Cook said in advance of the debut.
The new Air is given a boost with a Retina display and slimmed-down bezel that makes it more like a MacBook Pro in a MacBook Air's body.
Apple built a Touch ID sensor directly into the keyboard and a new, larger trackpad that senses pressure. The insides were spruced up with new microphones and speakers and an option for 16 GB of RAM. Like the Mini, the new Air is made entirely from recycled aluminum. It weighs in at 2.75 lbs, slightly less than its predecessor.
The entry price, though, is $1,199, an increase of $200 over the previous version. That will make it difficult for the Air to hold its own as an "entry-level" machine, though its pumped-up specs are sure to please many Air acolytes who have groaned about poor performance.
Cook and other Apple executives also announced an iOS update and a new retail initiative at stores worldwide ー from newly opened flagships in Bangkok and Milan to Chicago and New York ー to offer classes and programs to Apple users. Called "Today at Apple," it's another indication of the shift toward experiential brick-and-mortar retail.
All the new devices announced Tuesday are available for pre-order and will begin shipping November 7.
Ford is recalling more than 355,000 of its pickup trucks across the U.S. because of an instrument panel display failure that’s resulted in critical information, like warning lights and vehicle speed, not showing up on the dashboard.
Nvidia reported a 56% increase in second-quarter revenue and a 59% rise in net income compared to a year ago.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos claims audiences don't want to watch Netflix movies in theaters, but that seems not to be the case recently.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
