Why Apple's big MacBook reveal will feel so damn boring

Apple updates its iPhones and iPads like clockwork, but it's been a little while since we got a fresh crop of MacBooks — you know, those clamshell things with physical keyboards that you can plug a mouse into for hyper-efficient Microsoft Word-ing.

The tech corp will hold a media event Thursday, where it's expected to unveil a new line of laptops.  We'll probably see a 13-inch Macbook Air and two different MacBook Pros (13- and 15-inch models).

The last time these computers saw a substantial update was spring 2015. That isn't so long ago — especially considering a good laptop should last years — but Apple has nonetheless fallen behind the competition when it comes to hardware. If you're a consumer who simply must have the latest and greatest, you might lean toward something a bit fresher (like the HP Spectre, a Mashable Choice laptop that's thin and powerful) rather than a computer that came out early last year. Read more...