14 DAY TRIAL // As expected, Apple announced new hardware upgrades yesterday, as well as the much-hyped, fresh iMac line, featuring a new, LED-backlit, 21.5 and 27-inch widescreen display, as well as beefed-up processors and a new, wireless mouse. The new iMac also ships with 4GB of RAM standard, better graphics, and a new, built-in SD card slot.
Apple points out that its new iMac sports a new, edge-to-edge glass design, and a seamless, all-aluminum enclosure. Not only is this the best looking iMac to date, but it’s also the fastest ever, according to Apple. Configurations include a version equipped with Intel Core 2 Duo processors starting at 3.06 GHz, as well as Core i5 and i7 quad-core-equipped systems, “for up to twice the performance,” Apple says.
New iMacs now ship with both a wireless keyboard, and the all-new, wireless Magic Mouse, touted by the Mac maker as being “the world’s first mouse with Multi-Touch technology.” As fans should know, the technology debuted with the company’s iPhone, iPod touch, as well as its notebooks’ trackpads.
“The iMac is widely praised as the best desktop computer in the world and today we are making it even better,” Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said. “With brilliant LED displays and the revolutionary Magic Mouse, the new iMac delivers an amazing desktop experience that we think customers will love.”
Since the new iMac is all about its stunning display, Apple can’t stress this enough in the official press release, noting that the 16:9 aspect ratio is ideal for watching high-definition movies and TV shows, as well as for editing and watching one's own videos or photos. While the 21.5-inch model features a high-resolution 1,920-by-1,080-pixel display, the 27-inch iMac boasts an even more attractive, 2,560-by-1,440-pixel display that offers 60 percent more pixels than the 24-inch model – previously the largest available.
The company headquartered in Cupertino, California informs that both new iMac models use the IPS technology in their displays, “to deliver consistent color across an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle.”
Rounding up the list of benefits is Mac OS X Snow Leopard, which comes pre-installed on every new Mac (not just the new iMac models), as well as iLife, the company’s suite of applications aimed at handling all kinds of media. Interested parties can immediately order a unit through Apple’s online store, or via Apple authorized resellers. The Intel Core i5 and i7 quad-core models will only be available next month.