Apple surprises market with new iMac models

Tech giant Apple unleashed updates to its Macbook and iMac lines overnight, with many tech analysts suggesting the move is an attempt to divert attention from tomorrow’s release of Microsoft Windows 7 software.

The updates include larger screens for iMac computers, a new unibody Macbook and the introduction of the wireless, Bluetooth and multi-touch Magic Mouse.

iMacs now come in 21.5-inch and 27-inch versions, with the larger version boasting a massive 2569×1400 screen resolution, along with 500GB or 1TB hard drives. Prices start at $1,599, which is a $400 price cut from previous models.

The new unibody MacBook, which has been rumoured for some time on tech blogs and websites, is now up for sale starting at $1,299 – a $300 price cut from the previous model. It features a 13-inch screen, an LED-backlit display, a new glass trackpad and a “seven hour” battery.

The MacBook shell has now been replaced with a hard plastic, after the company received complaints from users that its previous models were becoming broken too easily.

Additionally, Apple also announced a new “Mac Mini”, which essentially acts as a small server aimed for businesses. Priced at $849, the model features a DVD burning SuperDrive, along with versions offering either a 160GB or 320GB model. It also features Wi-Fi and gigabit Ethernet ports for internet connections.

The Mac minis, which come preloaded with the Snow Leopard Server software, have been labeled by the company as a “competitor to systems running Microsoft’s Home Server or Windows Server 2008 Small Business Server”.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller said in a statement the new models are a vast improvement on the old. “The iMac is widely praised as the best desktop computer in the world and today we are making it even better,” he said.

“The new MacBook includes many of the great features found on the innovative MacBook Pro, such as an LED-backlit display, glass Multi-Touch trackpad and built-in long-life battery. With the only lineup of notebooks all featuring unibody enclosures, LED-backlit displays and long-life battery technology, there’s never been a better time to switch to a Mac.”

But the praise hasn’t been unanimous. While tech blog Slashgear wrote the new mouse works “incredibly well”, Engadget posted a pessimistic early preview of the new hardware.

“Ports are looking pretty dismal – there’s no FireWire, no SD card slot, no dedicated line-in. Instead you get just two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, and a combo headphone/line-in jack. That’s pretty weak in a thousand-dollar machine.”