While most Apple fans are busy gawking over the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, Apple quietly updated the specs on their iMac lineup this week. All they provided was a brief press release and an email blast to Apple Resellers and Specialists that detailed the new features of the next-gen iMac.

These iMacs include Intel Core i5 processors, add brand new Intel Iris Pro graphics, PCIe flash storage options, and last, but certainly not least, 802.11ac Wi-Fi that is crushing previous Wi-Fi technology speeds.

The processor speeds got bumped up to start at 2.7GHz on the 21.5in base model iMac and all the way up to 3.4GHz on the beefed-up 27in model iMac. We also find the new Intel Iris Pro graphics chipset in the 21.5in base model iMac. This is a huge leap in graphics processing and speed.

According to Intel, this marks a 75x increase in graphics performance since 2006 and almost double the performance of the HD 3000 from last year. Both the 21.5in and 27in iMac come standard with a 1TB 5400rpm or 7200rpm HDD, which is certainly nothing to scoff at. It’s the PCIe 1TB Flash storage drive that is really mind-blowing!

One of the latest and greatest technologies being taken advantage of with this new lineup is the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi. We saw Apple launch the new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsules earlier this year, and after a software update, these new networking tools did not disappoint. Just imagine up to 1.3GBps transfer speeds over Wi-Fi, and up to 800MBps read-and-write via the newly added PCIe bus for flash storage.

Needless to say, we’re really excited here at Small Dog to get our hands on these new machines and really see what they can do. *The 21.5-inch & 27-inch base models are now in stock at our South Burlington, VT, Waitsfield, VT and Manchester, NH locations,* and *high-end 27-inch models are now in stock in South Burlington, VT and Manchester, NH.*

Learn more about the new specs over at “*Engadget*”:http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/24/apple-updates-imac/ and “*Macworld.*”:http://www.macworld.com/article/2041546

Grace and I are hopping into our cars with the three dogs and a bunch of stuff for the drive down to Key West where we will be spending the next 60 days or so helping to get that store going. I have a trip to New Mexico and China in there, too, but it should be fun to work on this new venture down south; I am really looking forward to the challenges.

Thank you so much for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,
_Don, Kali & Stephanie_

I’ve worked here for over five years and the iPhone 5 was my first iPhone (I know, I know). When I got my iPhone 5, the first two things I wanted were AppleCare+ (I’ve broken the glass on my iPad 2 three times now) and a dock.

I drove all the way to the Apple store in Nashua NH to buy and register AppleCare+ because, at the time, we were unable to sell it. I asked the sales associate for AppleCare+ and to point me in the direction of the new iPhone 5 docks. “There isn’t an iPhone 5 dock.” WHAT?! I was shocked.

I know it’s not a ground breaking accessory, but it’s Apple — I just expected this to exist for the devices with the Lightning connector. My phone just didn’t look right in the multiple third party ones I tried.

Well finally, the introduction of the iPhone 5s has also brought us the Apple Lightning Dock! As expected, it looks amazing, clean, slim, and of course, white. It contrasts nicely with my black (not Space Gray) iPhone 5. The price is in line with the previous generation Apple Docks: $29.99.

It also has one feature that I’ve always liked: line-out. This allows you to plug in a stereo or desktop speaker system into the back of the dock. The key feature is that it disables the volume control of the device, meaning the speaker system volume is the only control, producing a cleaner sound over the stereo.

Wondering where it’s been your whole life? “*Get yours here.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/84213/apple-iphone-dock-for-iphone-5-5s

I’m sure iOS 7 is not going to be easy for a lot of people and I’ll even admit, when I downloaded the beta several months ago, there were some aspects that had me disappointed at first glance. There is sort of a feeling that you have no choice about whether or not to upgrade, but I want to clear that up a little bit.

Some concerns people have with iOS 7 speaks to a macroscopic issue with technology, i.e. that invariably all hardware/software evolves over time and the aesthetic manifestation of such change is arbitrary by nature. Somebody (or some company) has to make an executive decision about how a system will look and function. There is no way to please everybody, so it works by the law of averages — what’s going to work best for the most people.

Consumer technology that succeeds is always utilitarian. You can see evidence of this with companies like Alienware, a company that designs machines specifically for gamers since that’s their only market. They know that they will never be a household name like Apple because their scope is too focused.

One of my largest gripes with the 21st century is that we are not doing an honest job teaching consumers — particularly elder consumers — how to properly transition into large-scale computer implementation in daily life. It used to be, as recently as 20 years ago, that to get the most out of a computer, you would need to know how to program and have memorized a litany of line-item keyboard commands.

Consumers were given the Kool-Aid when graphical user interfaces became mainstream on Windows and Mac, making it easier for “anyone” to use a computer. Unfortunately, the technology was not — and still is not! — foolproof, and in order to get the most out of our devices, there is a certain level of tech literacy one needs to possess. It’s like having a car; the more you understand about how it works and how to maintain it, the less likely you are to have an expensive repair.

With computers and mobile devices, they don’t do just one thing [vis-a-vis drive you from point A to point B as a car would], but rather they facilitate (or try to facilitate) multiple aspects of our lives.

Technology can be a little bit misleading in that everybody expects it “just to work,” because that’s how companies like Apple sell their products. In a majority of cases, the device does “just work” and you can go on your merry way cluttering your desktop, not keeping your files organized, etc. and expecting that over the years the computer will continue to “just work.” These are the sorts of people who don’t do a lot of research or, if they do, they find the wrong sources, and feel they have to, for instance, upgrade to the latest operating system immediately.

In the case of iOS 7 you __did not__ have to upgrade right away. It is very unfortunate that Apple, or the tech industry in general, makes customers feel that you are forced to upgrade. In a lot of cases, you are forced to upgrade because in order to run the latest version of something, it requires the latest incarnation. (See: New printer, older computer) But in key cases (like this one), it isn’t always necessary.

Eventually though, no matter what, we all have to move forward. In order to continue using technology and to rely on it, we have to agree to the “terms and conditions” of technology consumers. One of those conditions is that, by nature of scientific achievement, the world of computing grows and shifts quicker than just about any other industry. The “good ole days” of computers could refer to as little as four years ago and that gap is continually closing.

These topics are of great interest to me as I reconcile my frustrations with people who aren’t educated about technology with the reality that my generation/the industry just doesn’t do an honest job to get that education out there. We’re so thrilled to show you all the things that the devices can do — and there are MANY cool things you can do! — that we lose sight of the disclaimer that “this is not a self-repairing, self-sustaining system and you should learn a little bit about what can/will go wrong over time.”

Thoughts on this? “*Email me!*”:mailto:christopherb@smalldog.com