iPhone News Updated

Apple updates Mac lineup

Riding the wave of their most profitable quarter ever, Apple announced a lot of new products on Tuesday. However, it could be a bit overwhelming to keep up with all the updates and press releases.

Here is a quick breakdown of the important news out of Cupertino, CA.

iMac

The biggest change of the day is the iMac, Apple’s desktop solution. To those new to the Apple product lineup, the iMac is an all-in-one product combining the monitor and tower with a footprint not much larger than a standard flat panel monitor. Apple took the processing speed to the next level, adding support for Intel’s high-end i5 and i7 quad-core processors.

More noticeable though, is the screen, which has finally matched its brothers and sisters and made the switch to LED backlighting. LED adds the advantages of using less power, being brighter, and they don’t have a “warm-up time.” The iMac is also now available in 21.5- and 27-inch screens, and copies the edge-to-edge screen of the MacBook Pro. Apple also added a mini DisplayPort that allows the iMac to work solely as a monitor. Other updates include room for 4 RAM modules, better audio components, and an SD-card slot under the optical drive.

The iMac pricing starts at $1199.

MacBook

MacBook, Apple’s “entry-level” notebook, also got some love. Along with a performance bump, the MacBook adds an LED-backlit screen and the same unibody design of the MacBook Pro. Some of the new updates to the MacBook are being met with criticism already, while the MacBook may be more durable with the unibody design, it does appear to be chunkier than the previous generation, and the 7-hour battery is non-replaceable. The bottom of the MacBook is now rubber to prevent the laptop from slipping, but this could cause future airflow and heat problems. The MacBook also received a larger multi-touch trackpad popular in the MacBook Pro lineup.
The MacBook pricing starts at $999 and sports a 13-inch screen.

Mac mini

The Mac mini, Apple’s smallest and most energy-efficient desktop computer, took a slightly different approach than many expected. Rather than creating a great little Home Theater PC to connect to a TV, Apple sees the little powerhouse as a great personal server. Installed with Snow Leopard Server, the Mac mini can be used in a variety of situations to access, swap, and sync all types of files and can be used to backup your important data. The design of the Mac mini did not change, but the processing speed increased and the RAM doubled.
The Mac mini pricing starts at $599; $999 with Snow Leopard Server installed.

Magic Mouse

The Magic Mouse replaces Apple’s Mighty Mouse. The Magic Mouse is the world’s first Multi-Touch mouse, the same technology used in the iPhone and the MacBook Pro trackpads. The wireless wonder is completely smooth across the top, and looks a bit awkward to use if only because it’s different from all the rest. Unlike the Mighty Mouse, the Magic Mouse surface simulates the left and right mouse button, and adds a physical feedback that clicks the whole surface. The mouse runs on 2 AA batteries and Apple claims 4 months of use per set.
The Magic Mouse comes with every new iMac and can be purchased separately for $69.

Other Noteworthy Updates

The Time Capsule, Apple’s wireless hard drive and full featured 802.11n dual band Wi-Fi router, got a small hardware upgrade that should improve the performance of interfacing with the computer. The Time Capsule is now promising to be 60% faster. Apple also updated their remote to match the new iMac. The remote is made of metal and resembles the iPod Nano. It runs an additional $19.

Lots of new changes, and certainly a big day for Apple fanboys. For more information check out Apple.com or your local Apple Store.

[Thanks: http://www.examiner.com]

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