Apple Inc. updated its iMac computers with a slimmer design, faster chips and glossy screens. The all-in-one desktop computers now have aluminum casings, replacing the white plastic facade that has defined the computer lineup for years. The new iMacs will come in only 20-inch and 24-inch versions. The 20-in LCD models offer 1680- by 1050-pixel resolutions; the 24-in.monitor has a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels. The new iLife suite comes with updated versions of all its applications. The iPhoto and iMovie programs received the most extensive revisions, with iMovie rewritten completely, allowing users to make high-quality movies quicker and easier, according to CEO Steve Jobs. A number of tweaks were added to Numbers (a spreadsheet application), which allows users to view two spreadsheets on the same page and to print their charts more easily without breaks in the data. Jobs also demonstrated new features in iPhoto, part of the revamped iLife ’08 suite; new links between both iPhoto and Apple’s iPhone, and the company’s .Mac online service; and other iLife ’08 applications, including a refreshed iWeb and a totally redesigned iMovie.
The new keyboard is more Mac Book-like and comes with an optional wireless version. All these products are available immediately in Apple’s retail stores and at the company’s Web site with starting prices at $1,199 and $1,799, respectively.
