Semi-upgrading

Apple is currently in the middle of its Worldwide Developer's Conference, an annual event it hosts for the good folks who write all the apps we enjoy so much on our iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers.  Throughout the week there will be sessions for these developers, time to network with other individuals in the industry, and a host of other activities designed to spur interest in, and excitement for, writing applications for Apple products.  While most of this takes place out of the public eye (and beneath layers of non-disclosure agreements), the big event of the week took place on Monday: the keynote presentation from none other than Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Throughout the two-hour presentation, various Apple luminaries presented all sorts of new tricks the company has up its sleeve, from 3D maps on the iPhone to a retina-display MacBook Pro.  From iOS6 to Mountain Lion, it seemed like a good time to be an Apple owner.  "Life here in the walled garden is fun, exciting, and comfortable!" bespake our friendly Cupertino overlords.  And all was well.

Except for the old-school Mac fans.  The Mac Pro, a computer designed specifically for the heavy-duty processor-intensive tasks required by industry professionals, has not seen a significant update in two years.  The iMac, once Apple's flagship personal computer, has been quietly shuffled to stage left to make way for its newer, flashier, more youthful mobile counterparts.  iOS , the superstar du jour, now takes center stage at 1 Infinite Loop while the Mountain Lion sideshow wanders back and forth in a cage somewhere in the basement.  Sure we get a few bones tossed our way every now and then, but people who prefer a solid desktop computer are, apparently, rapidly going the way of the buffalo.  And thus, last May's iMac remains firmly ensconsed at the front line of the Apple's greying line of consumer desktop machines.

My primary home computer, for instance, is a 2008-model iMac.  It's no powerhouse, but it gets the job done most of the time.  It's great for surfing the internet, using Google Docs, and looking at photos.  It's not so great for video editing, which is something in which I find myself engaged more often nowadays.  Mobile computers are nice, but I really like having a big ol' screen with millions of pixels spread out like a landscape canvas before my eyes.  Trouble is, this iMac is getting long in the tooth and really showing its age.  I was really hoping Apple would release an update at WWDC this year, but alas, they were content to focus on mobile and leave us desktop owners high and dry.

So what to do?  Since I have been essentially waiting for about eight months to buy a new computer, I figure I might as well bide my time and wait a little longer.  It's not going to kill me, and Lord knows I can use a lesson in patience as much as anyone else (especially when it comes to purchasing shiny electronics).  In the meantime, I figured now was as good a time as any to finally install OSX Lion and give my computer a hypospray in the arm to keep it kicking.  So last night I went on to the App Store and bought it, and thus far it's going well.  It's sad to see some traditional desktop elements disappear, but when I get frustrated about the little things I like to remember that more often than not, Apple does know what they are doing.  And when they finally do update the iMac and Mac Pro, it will likely be worth the wait.