Ladies and gentlemen, we have lift-off. Apple this morning has introduced new supercharged iMacs, an all-new Mac Pro, new displays and — finally at last taken the wraps off of the much-expected ‘Magic TrackPad’. That’s quite a morning. To the iMac: This is a significant update. You’re seeing these machines get the latest Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors and powerful new graphics. Good prices too: starting at $1,199, the new iMac line is the fastest ever with dual-core processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz, quad-core speeds up to 2.93 GHz. “We took the world’s best all-in-one and made it even better,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With the latest processors, high-performance graphics and signature aluminum and glass design, customers are going to love the latest iMac.” The processors feature an integrated memory controller to access the system memory directly, allowing the new iMac to take full advantage of its faster 1333 MHz memory. New discrete ATI Radeon HD processors promise some of the best graphics performance yet seen on an iMac, with an accent on 3D notablein the press release (we sense more things ahead). IPS technology means a wide 178 degree viewing angle. There’s an SD card slot which now supports the SDXC format. Oh, and if you never want to endure a lengthy start-up again, you can order a 256GB solid state drive (SSD) as a primary or secondary drive on the 27-inch models. That supports up to 215 MB/s data transfer rates. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. The iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status. Greener than ever, I’m pleased to note, as I kind of like this planet. The iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac uses PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs. Hidden among the product releases, the new Apple Battery Charger ($29) will power up your Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard and ships with six long life batteries.Pricing and schizzle: The new 21.5-inch 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:
