All current iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models use Sandy Bridge processors. Currently, Intel is working on Ivy Bridge, the successor to Sandy Bridge, which is designed to be faster and use less power. While Ivy Bridge isn’t scheduled to be released until Q2 2012, there is already information being released, both officially and unofficially.

The current Mac Pro models are showing their age, and Reschke says one is obliged to to wonder if the Mac Pros aren’t going to be ushered out of Apple’s Mac system lineup like the XServe was a year ago. He hopes the Mac Pro gets the update it badly needs and that recent rumors of its demise are “greatly exaggerated.” If not, he suggests the Mac Pro may become the next Apple product to “walk the plank”.

Considering that Intel plans on integrating USB 3 alongside Thunderbolt into their next processor, Ivy Bridge, sometime in 2012, it was assumed that when Apple uses that processor they would use USB 3, as well. However, VR-Zone reports that Apple is looking at doing this before Ivy Bridge is available. But it begs the question, for what product?

In May 2011 Other World Computing discovered that if you install a non-factory hard drive in the 2011 iMacs the fans would run at full speed all of the time. This was a great disappointment to those who like to upgrade their iMacs for extra performance and power. Fortunately, after a lot of hard work and effort, OWC discovered a fix that would not only cause no reduction in performance, but be 100% compatible with the Apple Hardware Test and maintain proper fan operation as well.

It’s always a positive development when an established company returns to making products for Apple computers. Corsair, which makes components for PCs, is now selling 4GB or 8GB DDR3 Mac memory for all Macs sold since 2010. That includes the iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, MacBook, and MacBook Pro models. The cost for the 4GB DDR3 is $27.99 and the 8GB DDR3 is $54.99 at Newegg and can be purchased now.

Apple’s Store was offline for a few hours earlier this week and, as always, people investigated for any changes or additions. They discovered that now you can share the configuration for the Mac Pro and iPod classic on Facebook and Twitter. You use the pop-up menu on the select button that you use to configure that model.

M.I.C. Gadget reports that while the Thunderbolt Mac Pro will use a new processor, it will be an 8-core CPU from Intel. This will give up to 16 threads per processor with hyper-threading and will be available first on the Mac Pro. Their sources say Apple is investing heavily into the Mac Pro, although since this is new technology, they have run into some difficulties.

Brian Tong from CNET is predicting that a refresh to the Mac Pro and Mac Mini line-ups will be coming in either late July or early August of this year. Not many details on what the refreshes will include have been released, although we’re likely to see additions of features such Thunderbolt I/O and Sandy Bridge processors as with the other refreshes that have already taken place this year.

If you’re a college student or work at a school and are thinking of buying a new Mac, this is a great time to do it. Buy a new iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Pro (Mac mini doesn’t qualify) from the Apple Store or a participating Apple Authorized Campus Store from June 16, 2011 through September 20, 2011, and receive a $100 Back to School Card for use on the Mac App Store, the iTunes Store, the App Store, and the iBookstore.

Canada’s “loonie” dollar has been trading at a higher value than the U.S. greenback all this year so far. And unlike with its brief upward spike in 2007-’08—during which time it briefly hit US$1.10—this time the Canuck-buck is forecast to remain above-par through 2012 as well, and perhaps beyond. So, why should Canadians be paying higher nominal dollar prices for Apple hardware (and most everything else) than Americans?