Apple rolls new iMac, MacBook, Mac mini, multi-touch Magic Mouse
And they went ahead and did it anyway. At least three hours after new product hit the streets on Tuesday morning, the company has — better late than never — released updated iMacs, MacBooks, Mac minis (including a server edition, baby!) and a multi-touch mouse.
“The iMac is widely praised as the best desktop computer in the world and today we are making it even better,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president, worldwide product marketing. “With brilliant LED displays and the revolutionary Magic Mouse, the new iMac delivers an amazing desktop experience that we think customers will love.”
Here are the highlights for each new and/or revised product:
The new iMacs
The Mac minis
Apple Unveils New iMac With 21.5 and 27-inch Displays (incl. Mac mini)
The really interesting bits here are the addition of quad-core (Intel i7) processors and ATI graphics supplanting nVidia in the higher end machines. I’m extremely curious to see third-party benchmarks showing the performance delta between the dual-core 3.06GHz dual core and quad-core 2.66GHz model, which won’t ship until November
Of course, the server edition Mac mini has been longed for by many for years and it’s good to see Apple finally respond.
The big misses on the desktop is the complete absence of low-spec, low-price models. A $499 mini and $899 iMac would have been very, very welcome additions to Apple’s offerings.
Apple Updates MacBook With LED-Backlit Display, Multi-Touch Trackpad, Built-in Seven-Hour Battery
The big change here is the loss of user-replaceable batteries, though the processor speed and hard disc bumps are appreciated. The big miss here is the lack of a lower cost model.
Of course, Apple’s battery upgrade means the MacBook has gone unibody, though it’s still made of white polycarbonate (plastic). Does this mean the end of this product’s “crackbook” issues? One hopes so.
Oh, and FireWire is gone again…
Apple Introduces Magic Mouse—The World’s First Multi-Touch Mouse
Apple has a very hit-and-miss record when it comes to completely new-fangled devices — the hockey puck mouse and G4 cube come to mind. Although the fan boy in me wants the Magic Mouse to be insanely great, I’m going to reserve judgment until I can get my hands on one.
Conclusions
And, there you have it. There’s definitely a lot here to digest, but my first reaction is I’m a little disappointed about the lack of sub-$1,000 models. Yes, you do get one heckuva lotta iMac for $1,199, but something tagged below a grand — even a 17 inch model — would have been welcome.
Yes, you do get one heckuva lotta MacBook for $999, but I’d be quite happy with less (i.e. yesterday’s model) for less (i.e. $849), much like the company has done with its iPod touch and iPhone 3G product lines.
Are today’s announcements enough to steal Microsoft’s Vista SP4 Windows 7 thunder tomorrow? Ultimately, Redmond’s fundamental lack of new substance, as well as confusing pricing and upgrade conditions makes anything Apple does seem like poignant genius, especially when it is genius…
What’s your take?
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October 22nd, 2009
WoW!!! I simply love the macs, Thank God, for the people who put these machines together, It’s the best computer on the face of the planet. I have a macbook Pro, and It is a Big part of my life. And everywhere I go, people take notice, when I plug up my macbook, and the apple logo, lights up, It just draws people to me, and they ask me so much about the Mac, and I tell them, It the best, and you really should got out a buy one today. Don’t wait to buy a mac, go out and get it as soon, as you see someone else with one. Why???because it’s just that great of a machine. I’m surround by so many people who have other computers, but when I walk into the room and plug up my Apple MacBook Pro, People stop and look. Got Apple?