Apple launches new Intel powered iMac

10 January 2006 18:41 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Apple today unveiled, as predicted, a new iMac featuring Mac OS X running on the new Intel Core Duo processor.

The new iMac now features intel dual-core processors, a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing out-of-the-box, and Apple's media center application Front Row with the Apple Remote.

Starting at just £929, every new iMac comes with iLife '06 which includes versions of iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and introducing Web, a new iLife application that aims to make it easy to create websites with photos, blogs and Podcasts and publish them on .Mac for viewing by anyone on the Internet with just a single click.

"The iMac has already been praised as 'the gold standard of desktop PCs', so we hope customers really love the new iMac, which is up to twice as fast", said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "With Mac OS X plus Intel's latest dual-core processor under the hood, the new iMac delivers performance that will knock our customers' socks off".

Every new iMac comes with a built-in iSight video camera for out-of-the-box video conferencing using Apple's award-winning iChat AV software, or recording a video Podcast or iMovie using iLife '06.

The built-in iSight video camera takes advantage of the Intel Core Duo processor to deliver up to four times the resolution over the previous model. Each iMac also includes Photo Booth, Apple's fun-to-use application that lets users take quick snapshots with the built-in iSight video camera, add entertaining visual effects and share their pictures with the touch of a button.

The new iMac comes standard with a SuperDrive(TM) for burning DVDs, 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable to 2GB, hard drive storage capacity up to 500GB, and ATI Radeon X1600 PCI Express-based graphics with 128MB of GDDR3 memory for outstanding graphics performance and realistic gameplay.

With the latest high-performance connectivity options, the new iMac includes built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort(R) Extreme for fast 54 Mbps wireless networking, built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), a total of five USB ports (three USB2.0) and two FireWire(R) 400 ports.

The new iMac now includes mini-DVI video output to connect up to a 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display.

Pricing & Availability
The new iMac is shipping today and will be available through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

The new 17-inch 1.83 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of £929, includes:
-- 17-inch widescreen LCD display;
-- 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor;
-- 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 2GB;
-- 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL / DVD+/-RW / CD-RW);
-- PCI Express-based ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory;
-- built-in iSight video camera;
-- built-in AirPort(R) Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
-- 160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
-- mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold
separately);
-- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
-- the infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.

The new 20-inch 2.0 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of £1229 includes:
-- 20-inch widescreen LCD display;
-- 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor;
-- 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 2GB;
-- 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL / DVD+/-RW / CD-RW);
-- PCI Express-based ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory;
-- built-in iSight video camera;
-- built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
-- 250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
-- mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold
separately);
-- built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
-- the infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.

Build-to-order options and accessories include up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, 250GB and 500GB Serial ATA hard drives, up to 256MB of GDDR3 video memory on the 20-inch iMac, iWork '06 (pre-installed), AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme Base Station, Apple Wireless Keyboard, Apple Wireless Mouse, Apple USB Modem and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

The new iMac is shipping today, and is the first of a new generation of Macs featuring Intel processors that Apple will roll out during 2006.

Full tags

Hardware, Desktop PCs, Apple