14 DAY TRIAL // In what is a rare occasion in the Apple ecosystem, Cupertino has confirmed virtually every one of the recently emerged rumors on the company’s upcoming plans to release updated Macintosh computers, and an all-new product called the “Magic Trackpad.” Apple’s online store went down just a couple of hours ago and is now back up, but a bit glitchy. However, the Apple.com PR section lists the goodies in question, as well as a brand new, 27-inch Cinema Display.
Apple has updated its all-in-one iMac line with the latest Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors, as well as better graphics, featuring discrete ATI Radeon HD processors. The computer’s design remains unchanged. The new 21.5-inch 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 iMac is now available for $1,199 (US). At the other end of the spectrum, the new 27-inch 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 iMac is available for a suggested retail price of $1,999.
On the Mac Pro front, Apple today unveiled a new line with up to 12 processing cores and up to 50 percent greater performance than the previous generation. The systems boast the latest quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors, ATI graphics, and the option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD). The base, quad-core Mac Pro will sell for $2,499 when it's released in August, while the new 8-core Mac Pro will be available for $3,499.
Configure-to-order options (as far as processors are concerned) include one 3.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3565 processor for the quad-core Mac Pro; one 3.33 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon W3680 processor for the quad-core Mac Pro; two 2.66 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon X5650 processors (12-cores) for the 8-core Mac Pro; two 2.93 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon X5670 processors (12-cores) for the 8-core Mac Pro.
The new Magic Trackpad (pictured left), launched in tandem with the new computers, is specifically mentioned as an accessory for iMac owners. Sold separately for $69, the device is described by Apple as follows:
“The Magic Trackpad brings the intuitive Multi-Touch gestures of Mac notebook trackpads to the desktop. With its glass surface, the wireless Magic Trackpad enables users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with their fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of web pages or photos. The Magic Trackpad can be configured to support single button or two button commands and supports tap-to-click as well as a physical click.”
