New expensive kick ass portables from Apple

Apple updates MacBook Pro with faster performance and new features for pros

Now Featuring Up to 6-Core Processors and 32GB of Memory, True Tone Display and the Apple T2 Chip
The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar deliver more power to pro users.
Cupertino, California — Apple today updated MacBook Pro with faster performance and new pro features, making it the most advanced Mac notebook ever. The new MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar feature 8th-generation Intel Core processors, with 6-core on the 15-inch model for up to 70 percent faster performance and quad-core on the 13-inch model for up to two times faster performance — ideal for manipulating large data sets, performing complex simulations, creating multi-track audio projects or doing advanced image processing or film editing.
Already the most popular notebook for developers around the world, the new MacBook Pro can compile code faster and run multiple virtual machines and test environments easier than before. Additional updates include support for up to 32GB of memory, a True Tone display and an improved third-generation keyboard for quieter typing. And with its powerful Radeon Pro graphics, large Force Touch trackpad, revolutionary Touch Bar and Touch ID, dynamic stereo speakers, quiet Apple-designed cooling system and Thunderbolt 3 for data transfer, charging and connecting up to two 5K displays or four external GPUs, it’s the ultimate pro notebook.
MacBook Pro now delivers faster performance for complex simulations and data manipulation.
“The latest generation MacBook Pro is the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now with 8th-generation 6-core processors, up to 32GB of system memory, up to 4TB of super fast SSD storage, new True Tone technology in its Retina display and Touch Bar, the Apple T2 chip for enhanced security and a third-generation quieter keyboard packed into its thin and light aluminum design with all-day battery life, it’s the best notebook for pro users.”
Faster, More Powerful Pro Notebook Computing
With the new MacBook Pro, developers can compile code faster and more easily run multiple virtual machines and test environments.
The new MacBook Pro is now faster and more powerful, with 8th-generation 6-core Intel Core processors on the 15-inch MacBook Pro for up to 70 percent faster performance and 8th-generation quad-core Intel Core processors on the 13-inch model for performance that’s up to twice as fast.1 With the option to add up to 32GB of memory on the 15-inch MacBook Pro, users can run more apps simultaneously or load larger files into memory. And with up to a 2TB SSD on the 13-inch model and up to a 4TB SSD on the 15-inch, MacBook Pro gives customers the flexibility to work with large asset libraries and projects wherever they go.
Best Mac notebook display ever now features True Tone technology for a more natural viewing experience.
With 500 nits of brightness and support for the P3 wide color gamut, the Retina display on MacBook Pro is the best Mac notebook display ever. Now with True Tone technology, the display and Touch Bar deliver a more natural viewing experience for design and editing workflows, as well as everyday tasks like browsing the web and writing email.
Apple T2 Chip Delivers Enhanced Security and “Hey Siri” on Mac
Also new to MacBook Pro is the Apple T2 chip, first introduced in iMac Pro. With the Apple T2 chip, MacBook Pro now delivers enhanced system security with support for secure boot and on-the-fly encrypted storage, and also brings “Hey Siri” to the Mac for the first time.
15-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights

• 6-core Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors up to 2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.8 GHz
• Up to 32GB of DDR4 memory
• Powerful Radeon Pro discrete graphics with 4GB of video memory in every configuration
• Up to 4TB of SSD storage2
• True Tone display technology
• Apple T2 Chip
• Touch Bar and Touch ID

13-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights

• Quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz and double the eDRAM
• Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics 655 with 128MB of eDRAM
• Up to 2TB of SSD storage2
• True Tone display technology
• Apple T2 Chip
• Touch Bar and Touch ID

Back to School with MacBook Pro
The new MacBook Pro is also part of Apple’s Back to School promotion starting today and available to college students, their parents, faculty and staff through the Apple Education Store. The promotion includes a pair of qualifying Beats headphones with the purchase of any eligible Mac or iPad Pro for college, as well as education pricing on Mac, iPad Pro, AppleCare, select accessories and more.
New Leather Sleeves for MacBook Pro
New MacBook Pro leather sleeves now available in Saddle Brown, Midnight Blue and Black.
First introduced with MacBook, Apple leather sleeves are now available for the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro in Saddle Brown, Midnight Blue and, for the first time, Black. Designed with high-quality leather and a soft microfiber lining for extra protection, the sleeves are a perfect complement to MacBook Pro for users on the go.
macOS Mojave Coming This Fall
This fall, MacBook Pro can be updated with macOS Mojave, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, with new features inspired by pros but designed for everyone. In macOS Mojave, a new Dark Mode transforms the desktop with a dramatic new look that puts the focus on user content. The new Stacks feature organizes messy desktops by automatically stacking files into neat groups. Familiar iOS apps, including News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home, are now available on the Mac for the first time. FaceTime now adds support for group calling, and the Mac App Store gets a full redesign featuring rich editorial content and the addition of apps from top developers, including Microsoft and Adobe.
Pricing and Availability
Starting at $1,799 and $2,399 respectively, the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar are available today through apple.com and in select Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers later this week. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at apple.com/mac.

If they could make using and selecting photos as easy as Windows 10, they would really have scored big. However, the windows machines will soon come out with equal power at half the price

A nice place to visit on a Saturday

The old harbor in Baltimore is a great place to visit especially on a Saturday in summertime. Among the many attractions one of the highlights is the historic USS Constitution. Naturally the seafood but especially the crabs are to die for. What can I say I really like food better that pictures.

Enjoy your weekend

Goodby System I, you will not be missed

This system always appeared dead in arrival. The sensor was simply too small. It never went anywhere

The Nikon 1 series came to the market on September 21, 2011, with the release of the Nikon 1 J1 and Nikon 1 V1 cameras. Since then, there have been 11 different cameras and 12 different lenses released for the Nikon 1 system, along with a collection of accessories including flashes, cases, GPS units and more. The market response was never great.
The move to kill off the Nikon 1 line shouldn't come as a surprise. In addition to the rumors flying around, the newest camera in the lineup was launched more than three years ago on April 2, 2015.
Add to that last year's statement from Tetsuro Goto, Director of Laboratory Research and Development at Nikon Japan, who told Chinese website Xitek, 'full frame is the trend [...] if Nikon will go mirrorless it must be full frame,' the writing has been on the wall for some time.

Relax, the weekend is almost here

Delicate poppies

These almost ethereal poppies were shot with my old Olympus E PL-2. It has a soft focus setting that is to die for. This camera shows it's age but it outputs great images when called upon. Naturally, these fine poppies were at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 

Sugar candy girl

These images were recently shot at an event for children at Juniper Valley Park in Queens, NYC. An organization known as the Maspeth Town Hall sponsored. This teenager was very enthusiastic in making cotton candy and that smile was priceless.

What a city

This preacher was practicing his act at Rockefeller Center way back in 1973. What is always interesting to wonder where the audience is today, or how have the passing years treated them. In the image they are all very lively. Photography has this uncanny quality that freezes a moment in time. This Kodachrome II slide was shot on a Leica M2R with the 35mm Summicron f2 lens. This was  combination made in heaven.
 

Westerly, Rhode Island

This is a very pleasant All American kind of town that is undergoing a rehabilitation of it's small down town area. A very nice place to visit.

Have a lovely week

Have a lovely Sunday