Apple just announced a new line of MacBook Pro notebook computers, with three major improvements: incredibly fast processors, new graphics, and Intel’s brand-new Thunderbolt interface. What does that mean for you? Well, if you just bought a brand new MacBook Pro before today, you’re gonna want to jump in your car right now and return it to Apple.

Kept under wraps by Intel until just a few minutes ago, Thunderbolt technology enables you to connect a huge variety of devices — from high resolution displays to external hard drives — to a computer through a single port. Because up to six devices can be daisy-chained, one port is really all you need. Thunderbolt supports 10 Gbps of throughput, making it 20 times faster than USB 2.0, and twice as fast as USB 3.0 — a technology which has yet to become mainstream, and is less likely to now, after Thunderbolt’s release. According to Apple, “Thunderbolt allows you to access multiple streams of uncompressed HD video — from your notebook — at speeds that let you edit an HD feature film in real time.” That’s pretty incredible.

Working in the tech industry, it’s reasonable to say that my colleagues and I have overlooked the fact that outside of the bubble — OK, FAR outside of the bubble — Jim Jones iPhone owner might not realize that each of the over-350,000 iPhone apps was not actually developed by an Apple employee. After hearing a CNN reporter declare on a live broadcast today that Apple recently “developed” a Catholic ‘Confession’ iPhone app, I’ve decided to launch a one-part series, titled “Where do Apps Come From?“

Sure, iPhones were flying off shelves in 2007 when the only apps available were the standard “widgets” still pre-installed by Apple, including Phone, Mail, Safari, iPod, Stocks and Weather, among others, but the creation of the App Store — and subsequent third-party app development — has added significant value to Apple’s flagship mobile product.

By definition, third-party apps are developed by a third-party (i.e. not the phone’s manufacturer), which means that the now hundreds of thousands of apps that now populate the app store were created by tens of thousands of individual developers — from a 13-year-old kid in his parents’ basement to multi-billion-dollar giants like Google and Microsoft — even The White House developed an app. So there you have it; all but a tiny fraction of the apps available today were not developed by Apple.

According to this article in the Wall Street Journal, Apple is considering offering its (currently $99/yr) MobileMe service for free. A complete revamp of the MobileMe service is expected to launch this summer, along with possible online music and social networking components. The new free service could act as a cloud-based server for each user’s email, calendar, documents, photos, movies and music, allowing seamless access from any web-connected Apple device. This seems like a logical move for Apple, and it’s possible that the launch is even behind schedule, as the company may have originally intended to launch the free service with its streaming-only Apple TV, which hit the market in September.

If Google CEO Eric Schmidt hadn’t already resigned from Apple’s board, I imagine his days would be numbered — a free MobileMe offering would position the company to compete even more directly with Google, which currently offers free cloud-based email, calendar, and document services.

The Torch is the first BlackBerry to run 6 OS, and the device’s performance was much more reliable than the BlackBerry Storm and Storm 2, both of which I’ve used in the past. I didn’t have any issues with the device locking up, as I have on a weekly basis with my Bold 9650. The Twitter and Facebook apps also run much more efficiently than they do on my Bold, and their Social Feed integration makes it simple to track all of my social media from one app. The Torch’s built-in keyboard is also incredibly useful — I’m still much faster at typing on a physical keyboard, and tend to type without looking at the device, which isn’t possible when using the iPhone’s virtual keyboard.

That said, the iPhone 4 is still significantly faster, more stable, and more intuitive than the Torch, and its app catalog cannot be beat. While the Torch’s GPS tended to place me in Brooklyn when using Google Maps, the iPhone 4 was always accurate, marking my location correctly, several miles away in Manhattan. Call quality is comparable, as is battery life, and as both phones are locked to the crummy AT&T network (it’s still pretty terrible in NYC), you can expect mediocre voice and data coverage.

Along with my iPhone, I typically carry my Bold 9650, which I use to communicate with friends and coworkers over BlackBerry Messenger. As the iPhone does not offer any kind of BBM compatibility, the Torch is still somewhat attractive, as it would eliminate the need to carry a second device. Still, without the benefit of a superior network, BBM and a physical keyboard alone are not enough to convince me to abandon my iPhone (or even delay replacing it). I’m happy to have it home.

Yesterday, Apple told us that today would be a day that we will never forget. If that prophecy had come in the form of a fortune cookie fortune, then I would have shrugged it off at the time, then later remembered Tuesday, November 16, 2010 forever, because my fortune cookie bizarrely told me to. (To my readers in Asia: Fortune cookies are crisp, crescent-shaped cookies that contain vague messages revealing future events. Believe it or not, they’re served in nearly every Chinese restaurant in America, though they’re clearly absent in Asia.) Apple got our attention with a full-page teaser on the company’s homepage, however, leading many of us to believe that there would be a very significant announcement today.

But what could it be? Perhaps Apple planned to announce a long-anticipated iTunes subscription plan, marking the inevitable doom of cable and satellite providers. Or maybe content would be stored in the cloud, instead of on hard drives and other devices. Or the company would announce the release of every television episode ever created, now available for purchase from iTunes for just 99-cents. This last announcement, or perhaps even a combination of all three, would have justified the hype generated by Apple directly, through the full-page teaser on its homepage. Luckily, you must wait no longer — today’s announcement is… the arrival of Beatles content to the iTunes store. Aaaaand… no, that’s it. Beatles. iTunes. Today. The one time Apple hints at a release in advance, and I’m left incredibly disappointed.

P.S. “All My Loving” is playing in the background as I write this — downloaded from iTunes just a few moments ago, for $1.29.

It’s not often that Apple uses its homepage to tease a media event, so I’m going to take the company on its word that tomorrow’s iTunes event will be significant. Tune in to Apple.com at 10 a.m. (ET) for an announcement that the company says you’ll never forget. I wonder what we’ll see … More 99-cent TV shows? Cheap Mac apps? An iTunes subscription plan? Surprisingly, Apple has managed to avoid media coverage of the announcement. Perhaps that will change tomorrow.

I’m leaving to pursue a career in real estate. Yeah, you heard me correctly – real estate. I’ve grown to love the ins and outs of Manhattan’s real estate market after making some recent investments – to the extent that I come home every night to check the latest listings, and even get text alerts on my phone when the closing price of a property in my neighborhood becomes public. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity, even if it meant walking away from a job I worked so hard to get. I’d be happy to explain exactly what I’ll be doing when I see you in person – the position couldn’t be a better fit.

I’ll still be the geek who refreshes the live stream frantically during Apple keynotes, and the guy you ask which entry-level DSLR to get your dad for Father’s Day. I plan to continue writing for PC Magazine and other publications on a freelance basis as time allows. You might even see me at parties and media events, as a “plus 1” of one of my very good industry friends, or perhaps representing my soon-to-be-frequently updated Tech, Travel & Tuna blog (look up – this is it).

The good news: not being tied to a magazine frees me up to post here more, to be more blunt in my Twitter posts, and gives me time to really play with some of the gadgets I never had a chance to before. The bad news: I’m leaving a corps of incredible journalists and some very hard-working vendors, who made my job a constant adventure.

As always, you can reach me at zshonig [at] gmail [dot] com.

Zach

P.S. Below you will find the job description for my soon-to-be-vacant position at PCMag.com. Please let me know if you have any questions about the required qualifications or job responsibilities.

Staff Editor – Consumer Electronics

Job Responsibilities:
–Produce, line edit, and write product reviews
–Write news stories, blog posts, and weekly newsletters
–Write and edit product roundups and buying guide
–Maintain a product reviews database and provide general support for analysts
–Help to maintain and update 15 landing pages on PCMag.com
–Prepare product photos for landing pages
–Meet with vendors for product briefings
–Represent PCMag at industry events

Applicant Requirements:
–At least 4 years of editing and online production experience, preferably in the tech arena. Knowledge and experience with the aforementioned product categories is a plus.
–Solid writing and editing skills and a keen eye for detail. Copy editing experience is a plus.
–Experience working with a content management system. Image editing experience is a plus.
–Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, competitive, deadline-driven environment
–Self-starter and proactive problem solver with a positive attitude
–Interest in and experience with social media is a plus
–Bachelors Degree (Journalism, Communications, or English preferred)