Apples’ New iMac Lineup

Secretive as always, Apple quietly refreshed its iMac hardware lineup. The 20-inch and 24-inch iMac models have now been replaced by 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac models carrying LED-backlit displays. Apart from new LED display, the new iMacs come with Wireless Keyboard and the all new Magic Mouse. The top end 27-inch iMac offers choice between quad-core Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors while 21.5-inch iMac comes with Intel Core 2 Duo processors.

Four new iMac models feature glossy LED-backlit display with 16:9 aspect ratio made from arsenic free glass and are mercury-free. As against the earlier 1680×1050 pixel resolution in 20-inch display, the new iMac progresses to support 1920×1080 pixel resolution. Supporting full HD (1080p) content, the new iMacs are ideal for watching HD movies, graphical designing or editing videos. Apple updated its iMac lineup seven months back in March.

These new displays are packed in all-aluminum enclosures and have 178 degree viewing angle. No Blu-ray in this iMac refresh as rumored but the iMacs feature SD card slot. Both 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs are available in two different models.

Apple has spiced up the iMac hardware by making some much required changes. Two more memory slots have been added making 4GB (2×2GB) DDR3 1066MHz memory as default in every iMac model and supports up to 16GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM. Earlier, iMacs had 2GB DDR3 RAM by default and supported up to 8GB memory.

The entry level or the base 21.5-inch model also got storage bump from 320GB to 500GB SATA 7200RPM HDD. Even the dormant audio department spruced up with built-in speakers with two internal 17-watt high-efficiency amplifiers.

Apple has introduced two 21.5-inch iMac models starting at Rs. 64,900 which will replace the outgoing 20-inch iMac model priced at Rs. 70,200. New 21.5-inch iMac models got speed bump from 2.66GHz in 20-inch iMac to faster 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU with 3MB shared L2 cache. Both 21.5-inch iMac models are differentiated on their graphics and storage configuration which is reflected in the price, obviously.

Entry-level 21.5-inch iMac model as Nvidia GeForce 9400M integrated graphics with 256MB GDDR3 video memory and 500GB SATA 7200RPM HDD. While the other 21.5-inch iMac model equips ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics with 256MB GDDR3 video memory and 1TB SATA 7200RPM HDD storage.

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Apple Updates iMac, MacBook Lines

Refresh looks to head off Windows 7, offering sharp new monitors and new internals for the Macs.


Apple loves a big spectacle, but every now and then it's content to do things quietly.

Tuesday was one of those moments: Just a day after stealing the spotlight by posting record revenues and profits for its fourth quarter, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) announced two new iMac desktop computers with updated internals and true widescreen displays, plus a new MacBook.

The new 21.5-inch and 27-inch models replace the 20- and 24-inch models currently on the market and feature a true widescreen 16x9 aspect ratio display. The new screens are backlit LEDs, similar to the ones used in the MacBook line -- the first time Apple has used these displays in its desktops.

These new iMacs have a number of firsts. Along with the widescreen and LED displays, they have an all-aluminum back, come with quad-core Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) processors and come with an SD card slot.

Apple has also upped the capacity of these machines. They now support a maximum of 16GB of RAM, double the capacity of previous models, and can handle up to 2TB of storage.

Another upgrade: the displays support in-plane switching, or IPS -- a feature previously found only on the Mac Pro. The enhancement means the iMacs retain color fidelity with a wider 178-degree viewing angle. Without such technology, displays' colors can shift when viewed at an angle instead of straight ahead.

The 21.5-inch model supports 1920x1080 pixel resolution while the 27-inch model supports 2560x1440 pixels.

Despite the enhancements, Apple is giving a nod to the price-conscious, with the new iMacs starting at the old model's same base price of $1,199. That sum will get you a 21.5-inch iMac with a 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce 9400M video GPU.

A $1,999 high-end model due in November will sport a 2.66GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core processor, with the option for a Core i7 CPU. It features a Radeon HD 4850 video card.


Magic Mouse

The new models also include a new input device that Apple calls the Magic Mouse. The mouse features support for Apple's multitouch technology -- popularized on the iPhone -- to support trackpad-like gestures and swipes on the top surface of the mouse itself.

As a result, users can click, scroll, zoom and flip between pages simply using finger gestures. The device can be configured as either a single-button or two-button mouse.

The Magic Mouse also, of course, works like a traditional mouse, with laser tracking -- a step up from optical tracking.

In addition to shipping with the new iMacs, the Magic Mouse is also available separately for a suggested price of $69.

"The iMac is widely praised as the best desktop computer in the world and today we are making it even better," Philip Schiller, Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in a statement. "With brilliant LED displays and the revolutionary Magic Mouse, the new iMac delivers an amazing desktop experience that we think customers will love."


New MacBook

The blogosphere had been rife with rumors that the Mac Mini would get an overhaul during Apple's next product update, but that proved not to be. Instead, the MacBook, its low-end laptop, got the facelift.

Apple is giving it the new polycarbonate unibody shell, the LED-backlit display, a glass multitouch trackpad and the built-in battery like the other MacBooks.

Apple promises seven hours of battery life with this new model, and a new battery design that Apple said is good for 1,000 charges -- three times the normal laptop battery lifespan.

The starting price remains $999. It comes with a 13.3-inch display, 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, nVidia 9400M integrated graphics and 250GB of storage.

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New iMacs could pack in an aluminum remote and touch-enabled mouse

Third-party resellers are seeing iMac and Mac mini supplies dwindling as Apple quietly informs them it won’t be able to meet new orders. Put simply, new iMacs and Mac minis are imminent.

As rumors about refreshed new iMacs intensify, the latest leads are pointing to an imminent launch. Apple Insider reports that the Mac maker is warning resellers and partners throughout its retail channel of scarce supply of several desktop Mac models. More precisely, Apple’s retail department has made it clear to third-party resellers that it cannot fulfill any new orders for all four iMac models, in addition to the low-end Mac mini model. This is without an exception a tell-tale sign of an impending product refresh. In addition, it appears that the low-end Mac mini has been discontinued.

A quick check on Amazon revealed most iMac and Mac mini models out of stock at press time. Although Apple’s own retail stores still list the usual 24-hour window of availability for iMacs and Mac minis, Apple’s stock reserved for own retail stores traditionally begins dwindling a week or two ahead of an updated hardware arrival, meaning we’re still at least a week or two from a rumored October media event that will serve as a launchpad for updated desktop Macs. Of course, it’s entirely possible that Apple unveils new models without fanfare, via a simple press release.

Apple last refreshed its consumer desktop Mac lineup on March 3, 2009, bringing Nvidia graphics, twice the memory, and twice the storage across most models. The company also shaved $300 off the entry-level 24-inch iMac model, bringing the 24-inch system down to $1,499, the same as the previous 20-inch iMac.

The rumor-mill is predicting redesigned, cheaper iMacs with Blu-ray, echoing Wedge Partners’ report calling for a “thinner, organic design, likely with smoothed or rounded edges.” The research firm expects cheaper iMacs to play a big role in an estimated 3 million Mac units in the fourth calendar quarter. Apple Insider’s sources indicate that Apple has finalized a redesigned iMac lineup two weeks ago, confirming price cuts, Blu-ray, and “classier” industrial design.

The latest tidbits hint at an SD card slot – the first time ever in a Mac desktop – and Intel’s quad-core Core i7 mobile processor replacing dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs found in current iMac systems. Common sense logic also suggests a newer GPU replacing Nvidia’s 9400M/9600 integrated/discrete chips used across iMacs, Mac minis, and Mac notebooks. A redesigned aluminum remote control matching the iMac’s design and a re-engineered Mighty Mouse with an all touch-enabled casing are also believed to be in the works.

Geek member “davethejackal” hopes for an ATI Radeon 5870 build-to-order option, while we keep our fingers crossed for a high-end 30-inch iMac model. What do you think Apple has in store for new iMacs? Will they adopt Intel Core i7 in the upcoming revision or is it too early for that chip? What about the GPU, will Apple stick with Nvidia’s 9400/9600 GPUs? Please, chime in with your comments below.

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Steve Jobs discusses Apple and environmental issues

"Except for one keynote speech he gave on Sept. 9, Apple CEO Steven P. Jobs has shunned the press since he went on medical leave in January," Peter Burrows reports for BusinessWeek. "But Jobs spoke with BusinessWeek on Sept. 22 about a subject that has nothing to do with the Mac, iPods, or iPhones."

"The topic was Apple's reputation with regard to the environment and its effort to reposition itself as a leader instead of a laggard. While environmentalists tend to focus on carbon emissions from corporate operations and companies' publicly stated goals to do better, Jobs says Apple wants to set the pace in addressing what he says is a bigger challenge: reducing the amount of power required to run the company's products," Burrows reports. "'Unfortunately, we're way ahead of our competitors,' Jobs contends... 'We tend to report rather than predict,' says Jobs. 'You won't see us out there saying what the PC is going to look like in 2016. We quietly go try to invent the PC for 2016.'"

Burrows reports, "The company has finished a multiyear data-mining project to fully understand its environmental impact on the planet and has published data that may stir up controversy. Apple takes issue with studies that hand accolades to rivals such as Dell and Hewlett-Packard for cutting emissions at their facilities. Apple's research suggests that those emissions make up only a small slice of a company's larger environmental impact—a mere 3% in Apple's case. Far more of the carbon footprint, he says—53%—is generated by Apple's products. 'Everyone focuses on whether you have motion detectors in the conference room' so the lights will go off when it's unattended, says Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook. 'But making products cleaner involves real engineering. It's about innovating, and it's hard work.'"

Burrows reports, "Apple is also winning kudos for an intensified effort to eliminate toxic materials. While many tech companies have promised to stop using particular commercial compounds that include bromine and chlorine, Apple two years ago began requiring suppliers to prove that their products included none of these chemicals at all. That required a major investment, says COO Cook, including hiring chemists to help suppliers come up with alternatives. Take PVC, the additive that gives computer cables their flexibility. To avoid using the material inside its products, Apple came up with a 'special blend' of polyester."

Burrows reports, "Meantime, while both Dell and HP had promised to stop using PVC by the end of 2009, both recently said the goal was impossible because of a lack of commercial substitutes. Yet Apple met its target of 2008 for the innards of its devices, and sources say future products will ship with PVC-free power, mouse, and monitor cords."

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