iMac gets a facelift

Apple has been concentrating so much on the iPod and iPhone in recent months that many of its fans had started to feel it was neglecting the Mac computers that made the company famous.

A few months ago it dropped the word ‘computer’ from ‘Apple Computer’ and renamed itself as just ‘Apple Inc.’

Yesterday, though, it returned its focus to the Mac by announcing a redesign for its iMac desktop machine, along with updates for the low-cost Mac Mini and a number of its software products.

The new iMac has the same basic all-in-one design as its predecessor, but the chassis of the unit is now built out of a single sheet of moulded aluminium. Apple has also developed a new slimline keyboard for the iMac, also made out of aluminium. Prices start at £799 for a model with a 20-inch screen, 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1Gb RAM and 250Gb hard disk, while the top-of-the-range model costs £1,459 and has a 24-inch screen, 2.8GHz processor, 2Gb RAM and 500Gb hard disk.

Somewhat surprisingly, Apple also updated its compact Mac Mini. It had been rumoured that the Mini would be discontinued following disappointing sales, but Apple upgraded the Mini to a 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 1Gb RAM and 80Gb hard disk for £399. There’s also a 2GHz model available for £499.

Finally, Apple also released major upgrades to a number of its software packages. The iLife ’08 suite includes new versions of iPhoto and iMovie, which include a new ‘skimming’ option that makes it easier to quickly browse through large collections of photos or video clips.

The more business-oriented iWork suite was updated too, with an entirely new spreadsheet program called Numbers, providing Mac users with a low-cost alternative to Microsoft’s Office suite. Both iLife and iWork are priced at £55.

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