July 29th, 2010, 5:36AM in Featured, Technology by Marc LequimeView Comments
Apple have had another busy week – simultaneously launching a set of new iMac computers, with i3, i5, and i7 processors, updating the Mac Pro line, and introducing the ‘Magic Trackpad’; a sort-of upscaled version of the Macbook Pro trackpad. Each seems to compliment the others; the trackpad designed for a bridge between laptops and desktops; and all of Apple’s desktops being updated, since the latest Mac Mini update, back in early June. This brings all of Apples hardware as of now having at least 1 update this year.
The iMac
Price-wise, nothing’s changed for the iMac line of Apple computers. The sizes are also equal, too, still being at 21.4″ and 27″. The processors are different, though, the smaller iMac boasting an i3 configurable to an i5, and the larger with i3, quad-core i5, but for an extra $100/£180 a quad-core i7 processor clocked at 2.93Ghz.
Hard-disk wise, it can support simultaneously SSD and HDD, with up to 2TB of storage space.
The screen claims for 178º of perfect viewing – that is, a 178º field where from any angle inside it the monitor appears the same.
The Mac Pro
The Mac Pro has changed in the sense of how much power you can shove in the beast – now supporting 12 cores – loading dual 6-core processors. It’s switched from the 45nm Nahalem processors (other than in the $2,500 standard Mac Pro) to 32 nm Westmere processors, increasing the power greatly – if there’s a good time to buy a Mac Pro, it’s probably now. If you feel like splashing out a hell of a lot for it. Apart from that, it’s vastly the same, like all Apple products this year; no new bold steps in design being made – the Macbook Pro, iMac and Mac Mini all look virtually identical, despite changing inside.
The Magic Trackpad
The most interesting of the three, Apple have launched their ‘Magic Trackpad’; a sort-of upscaled Macbook Pro trackpad designed for using with iMac and Mac Pro; conveniently updated at the same time. The Magic Trackpad has the same features as the Macbook Pro trackpad, including 2-finger scrolling, 4-finger Exposé, 3-finger swiping (or dragging), and pinch-to-zoom. It’s not exactly cheap, but not exactly expensive either, swiftly coming down to being $69. It’s strange, but an apparent bridge between laptops and desktops. Sorta.
Source: Apple
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