So things in the consumer Macintosh world are definitely hopping, but let's talk about what's happening on the professional side of Apple's product line for a minute. You all know about Yosemite, the new professional G3 Power Macs due to be released in two weeks' time; to recap, these are screaming fast machines with real, honest-to-goodness professional-level subsystems-- not just mid-range "prosumer" computers that happened to be fast enough for Apple to reposition them as pro systems while they worked on the real professional Macs. There's no question about this: Mac-using professionals are going to want Yosemite's faster bus, higher RAM ceiling, super-fast graphics system, etc. (We know, because we're Mac-using professionals, and we're coping with a serious bout of hardware lust right now.) But believe it or not, it's not Yosemite's spec list that's going to sell scads of these machines, it's the look and feel of the El Capitan case. Whereas the iMac is a sales blockbuster partially because it's "cute," Yosemite just might break sales records because it's "sexy." Curvy, translucent midnight blue with blue LED indicators? Sign us up.

And the good news is, by most reports, Yosemite won't necessarily cost an arm and a leg; pricing is supposed to echo the price points of the current Power Macintosh G3 line, whose beigeness Yosemite is replacing in January. That means we should be able to pick up a low-end Yosemite system for about $1600 or so-- and even if it costs more than that, we're willing to bet that Apple will keep the entry-level price below $1999 at the absolute most. Not too shabby, right? You can get a terrifically fast new Mac without breaking the bank, and it doubles as a room decoration-- don't forget the "modern sculpture" factor when justifying the price.

Unfortunately, if you replace your boxy old beige Mac with a curvaceous blue Power Mac G3 Pro (or whatever they plan on calling these things), you're going to notice something about your monitor: unless you've got an Apple Studio Display, it's not going to match. Sticking Apple's latest industrial design next to a dirty old monitor with harsh angles and plastics only a mother could love is going to seem like a crime against taste. The solution? Whip out that credit card and pick up a new display from Apple. Apple Insider has a report on the new "Moby" and "Chablis" monitors, including a little sketch of what they look like. Think "big iMac." Think "curves and translucent blue." Think "irresistible complement to the Yosemite." And lastly, think "really expensive." Suddenly, the cost of replacing your Mac just went up; it's like when you buy new curtains and realize that you have to replace the carpet to match. All we can say is, start hoarding those dollars and cents, because when Yosemite and the new displays are unveiled, by all reports they are going to be hard to resist.