Latest line of iMacs unveiled

One includes 24-inch display, all have Intel Core 2 Duo processors * Printable Version
* Email This Article



Apple Computer Inc. rolled out a line of iMacs Wednesday with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors, including one with a 24-inch widescreen display, the largest iMac to date.

The computers perform up to 50 percent faster than their predecessors, and some have also dropped in price, the Cupertino company said. They incorporate processors introduced this summer.

The announcement comes in advance of a "special event" next week in San Francisco, where Apple is expected to unveil new products and services. Rumors have been swirling that they could include a new iPod digital media player or a movie download service.

It's not clear if the new iMacs are related to next week's event. But by introducing a 24-inch iMac, the company, already a major presence in the digital lifestyle movement with the iPod, is trying to establish itself as the hub in the digital living room, said Michael Greeson, principal analyst at the Diffusion Group. "This is a baby step in the direction to the living room," he said.

Apple's David Moody, vice president of Mac hardware product marketing, said that the company is "in the business of building computers."

At the same time, Moody added, DVDs and television shows downloaded from iTunes can "be played and look great on the 24-inch. And of course, we have the Front Row media experience and the Apple remote, which gives you a simple way to enjoy your movies, photos and iTunes television shows from the comfort of your sofa instead of sitting in front of your screen."

The new iMacs include a high-definition LCD display and are priced at $999 to $1,999 each. The price of the 20-inch iMac has been cut from $1,699 to $1,499 and the 17-inch 2.0 GHz iMac from $1,299 to $1,199.

Apple also upgraded the Mac mini, replacing the Intel Core Solo processor with the faster Intel Core Duo processor. "Now you have the fastest processors in all the Mac (desktops)," said Tim Bajarin, principal analyst with Creative Strategies. "It represents a new era of Mac-based systems."