MacBook Air

Apple has confirmed that it is holding a new product event on October 27th, a few hours after Recode announced that the company was planing to refresh its Mac lineup. Invitations with the tagline "hello again" were sent out to members of the media on Wednesday. The event is being held on Apple’s campus at 10:00 a.m.. This will likely be the last event held at Apple's Town Hall conference center before its Campus 2 opens.

Apple plans to announce a fresh lineup of Macs on October 27th, according to Recode. Citing unnamed sources, Recode reports Apple will hold a keynote on its Cupertino campus to unveil the new lineup. Recode also mentioned Apple launching MacOS Sierra last month, and the upcoming holiday shopping season as positive signs that the iPhone-maker plans to launch new Mac products this year. If the report is true, this will be the first major Mac refresh since 2015.

Apple Pay isn't all about waving your iPhone to pay for food at McDonalds. The service can also be used for making in-app and online purchases on devices that have Touch ID but no NFC technology, like the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. This is why a recent rumor claiming that both Touch ID and Apple Pay will eventually make their way to other Apple products, like the MacBook Air, is not all that crazy.

The rumor was posted on the Taiwanese blog Apple.club.tw on Tuesday. The report says sources have confirmed that future versions of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad will ship with built-in Touch ID fingerprint sensors. If true, this would allow Mac users to make online payments, log-in to their accounts and authenticate other actions with a simple touch of their finger. This also doesn't seem like much a stretch since Apple has been trying to add continuity between devices with the launch of Handoff and other features found in iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite.

It is that time of year again when all eyes are on Apple's next-generation products, and rumors of iWatches and larger iPhones are running rampant. Several reliable and hit-or-miss sources have confirmed that Apple plans to release a slew of new products later this year. Here's a quick look at those rumors.

MacBook Air - Production of a 12-inch MacBook Air will begin in Q3 of 2013, according to the Digitimes. Upstream supply chain sources say Apple is releasing a 12-inch model because "its 11-inch model has a screen size similar to its iPad' and increasing sales of Apple's tablet "are impacting MacBook demand". Apple believes a 12-inch MacBook Air would create a boundary between its 9-inch tablet lineup, and MacBook Air products. The new MacBook will feature some internal redesigns but it will resemble its predecessors externally .

Microsoft is offering up to $650 in store credit for select MacBook Air models. The promotion is part of the company's marketing strategy to convince Apple users to buy a Surface Pro 3. To qualify, your MacBook Air must be in working condition. This means no water damage or cracked display, and the device must be able to power on. The deal is in-store only, and users are responsible for wiping their own data.

The trade-in value of your MacBook Air will be determined by Microsoft based on the condition of the device. You must put the store credit towards a Surface Pro 3 to receive the the maximum trade in amount. This deal will not stack with any other offers.

The Japanese retailer Rakuten is offering a nifty iPad case that basically transforms your tablet into a MacBook Air. The NoteBookCase for the iPad 2 features a built-in Lithium-polymer battery, USB port, mini USB port, and Bluetooth for the keyboard.

The USB ports allow you to charge the case while charging your iPad, or any other USB powered device. The iPad case should also be compatible with the new iPad since it's not much thicker than the iPad 2. The NoteBookCase is currently only available through Rakuten's Japanese website, but it could make its way to their U.S. based website Buy.com.