With the Magic FrogPad, you’ve got a QWERTY keyboard compressed down to just 26 keys, which is pretty cool if you ask us. You can toggle between the keypad and mouse functionality easily by hitting the “switch” in the upper left corner. As with most clings, this one is pretty easy to install, and it’s even repositionable, meaning that you don’t have to worry about making a permanent commitment when you stick this on your Magic Trackpad.

If you’re a little intimidated by the look of the Magic FrogPad, the company offers a number of tutorials to get you started. It’ll connect to your Mac through Bluetooth, and FrogPad says you can use a mouse along with it if you don’t want to be switching between the mouse and keypad functionality all the time. In order to use the Magic FrogPad, you’ll need a Bluetooth-enabled Mac computer that’s running Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 or above. You’ll also need an Apple Magic Trackpad, which kind of goes without saying.

The Magic FrogPad is available now from FrogPad’s store for $69.99 with immediate shipping. That may seem a bit expensive at first glance, but that $70 gets you two righty pads, one lefty pad, and a download of the software needed to use the Magic FrogPad. All in all, it doesn’t seem like too bad a cling – are you picking one up?

The Logitech Wireless Touchpad must be used with a special driver for multi-touch gesture functionality, which Windows doesn’t normally support. These include two-finger scrolling, three-finger page flipping, and four-finger app switching, all on a nice big 5-inch surface.

The wireless connection uses RF instead of Bluetooth, which allows for longer battery life than what’s offered on Apple’s Magic Trackpad. Two AA batteries can last for roughly four months under regular use. Additionally, it features a USB adapter that lets other Logitech devices, such as a keyboard, share its wireless receiver.

The Wireless Touchpad only works with Windows 7 at the moment and will ship before the end of this month. It is priced at $49.

[via Logitech]

In fact, you can choose two colors: one for the main body of the Magic Trackpad, and the other for the touchpad surface itself.  ColorWare’s usual range of solid, metallic and pearl finish paints are available, and the end result can be as tasteful or as wretched as your wallet and conscience allows.

Alternatively, if you’ve already bought a Magic Trackpad but still fancy a new look, you can send it in and pay $75 for the re-painting process.  Turnaround is roughly three weeks time; resale value depends on your restraint.

As well as the processor, memory and solid-state storage, there’s an ATI Radeon HD 5750 GPU with 1GB of its own GDDR5 memory and an 8x SuperDrive DVD burner. Still no Blu-ray option, of course, and no USB 3.0 ports either; instead Apple gives you four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, audio in/out (each combining analog and digital), gigabit ethernet and a Mini DisplayPort that, on this larger iMac, also functions as an input for hooking up your MacBook Pro. On the side, as well as the slot-loading optical drive there’s an SDXC memory card reader (backward compatible with SD/SDHC cards, naturally) while inside there’s WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. The latter is used with the bundled Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse; the Magic Trackpad launched alongside the new iMacs is an optional extra.

While all-in-ones may not be particularly known for their upgrade potential, Apple has made great use of the 27-inch iMac’s internal space. The SSD is an option, but so is pairing a regular hard-drive with a solid-state counterpart, each occupying its own internal bay. The 27-inch model comes with a 1TB, 7,200rpm HDD as standard: you can upgrade that to 2TB or swap it for the 256GB SSD, or combine either HDD with the SSD. That could be useful for digital media pros looking for the system speed an SSD brings together with the relatively cost-effective storage a traditional HDD delivers. At this stage, you can’t combine two SSDs, however.

Our wish-list for the iMac gets smaller with each iteration, and right now is pretty much limited to Blu-ray, USB 3.0 and eSATA. Given Apple’s general antipathy toward the former, it looks unlikely that the company will include Blu ray any time soon; instead they’re betting on digital delivery through iTunes. USB 3.0 and eSATA are trickier: Apple helped lead the way in ditching legacy connections, which might lead you to assume they’d also be at the forefront in these faster ports, but so far there’s no sign.

Everything is wrapped up in what’s perhaps the slickest chassis in Apple’s line-up today, a smooth unibody aluminum expanse with a simple one-legged desk stand. Opt for the included wireless peripherals and a WiFi network connection and you can hook up the iMac with a single cable, for power, which snakes neatly out through a purposefully cut hole in the leg. Up front, most noticeable is the 16:9 aspect 27-inch IPS LCD panel, running at 2560 x 1440 resolution with 375 cd/m2 brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio. Hidden behind the glass bezel is an iSight webcam, a microphone and an IR port for use with the optional Apple remote, while underneath are stereo speakers each paired with a 17W amp.

The display remains a key selling point for the iMac, being bright, color-rich and having very broad viewing angles. Think of it as the desktop’s equivalent of the iPhone 4′s Retina Display; only a few PC manufacturers offer LCD displays that can compete, and it’s rare to find one integrated into an all-in-one machine. Obviously the iMac is at home with movie playback in Full HD, though of course with the absence of Blu-ray you’re limited to digital content downloaded or side-loaded in 1080p HD resolution. Standalone media performs well, with the iMac’s speakers belying the absence of a dedicated subwoofer; thanks to the digital audio output it’s straightforward to add a 2.1 or 5.1 surround sound system too.

With its superlative specifications, though, it’s likely content creation rather than consumption that iMac buyers prioritizing this particular model would be occupying themselves with. It’s certainly easily capable when it comes to processing video, audio and images. At the risk of getting geekier, though, there are some good reasons why this is the best iMac to-date.

We ran Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the quadcore iMac scored a massive 10099 points. In contrast, last year’s Mac Pro – with a quadcore 2.67GHz Xeon processor and 12GB of memory – scored 9600. The current generation entry-level iMac – with a Core i3-550 dual-core running at 3.2GHz is scoring around 6700 in Geekbench; the machine positioned at the same point in Apple’s range late last year scored just 4,650. More importantly, perhaps, is the increase in L3 cache, with the 8MB in the new iMac matching the old Mac Pro (the old iMac lacked L3 cache completely). Put simply, the L3 cache is used as a high-speed store for data being processed: the more you have, the faster the computer can crunch through whatever it is you’re working on. Meanwhile the FSB (Front-Side Bus) is the same 4.80GHz on the quadcore iMac as it is on the old Mac Pro: that’s the speed of the pathway between CPU and Northbridge, and a potential bottleneck if it’s not high enough.

When you start factoring that performance increase in with Apple’s pricing, the new iMac’s appeal gets even greater. First off, consider that – without the SSD – you’re getting Mac Pro (i.e. flagship) performance, plus a brilliant 27-inch display, for less than you’d pay for the current entry-level Mac Pro with a quadcore 2.8GHz Xeon ($2,199 versus $2,449). On top of that you’d need to pair the Mac Pro with a display; the 27-inch LED Cinema Display, using the same panel as the iMac we’re testing, will be $999 when it arrives next month.

Now, the Mac Pro obviously has some benefits of its own: the four hard-drive bays, faster SuperDrive, speedier CPU options and greater connectivity, for a start. For most users though, balancing high performance with price, the iMac’s combination of a slimline form-factor, huge amounts of processing power and integrated display will likely hit the sweet spot that previously only an entry-level Mac Pro would’ve filled.

From that perspective, the $2,799 of our review unit ($2,199 if you opt for the 1TB HDD instead of the SSD) starts to look a whole lot more reasonable. Yes, it’s overkill for most, but that’s why the 27-inch Core i3 version (at $1,699) is on offer; that model itself delivers around 45-percent more performance (as measured by Geekbench) than its predecessor. Factor in the quality of the display, design, construction and usability of OS X, and the iMac is not just a fitting flagship but a well-rounded alternative to traditional workstations. For all those reasons it comes highly recommended. Feel free to drop me questions in the comment section or visit  apple.com/imac for more details.

iMac Mid 2010 Core i7 Specification

As you might expect, the Apple peripherals are simply too skinny for even the Air’s slender motherboard to fit inside, so instead a transparent plastic tray has been crafted.  That contains the Air’s guts, and the keyboard and trackpad sit on top; they’re generally unmodified, so that they can be used with other (more powerful) systems.

Originally the undertray was scaled for an older Apple keyboard, so it’s now undergoing some shortening and the port holes are being cut to suit.  When finished, the keyboard-Mac will likely be put into play as an Apple TV replacement, just as ASUS expect their Eee Keyboard to be used.

[via Gizmodo]

Acer’s Stream smartphone has been graced with an official launch date for the UK. The Stream will launch on August 9 and pack a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and a 5MP camera. The handset will cost the equivalent of $615 in the UK. A sweet new camera app was unveiled Monday that takes photos people shoot at the same angle as historical photos and superimposes the historical photos over the top. The software was invented at MIT.

LG announced this week that it can’t meet the demand from Apple for screens of the iPad and iPhone. Despite that fact, LG is apparently thinking about making production cutbacks and says meeting demand won’t happen until 2011. The DMCA was updated early in the week and ruled that jailbreaking and unlocking of smartphones like the iPhone was legal under fair use. This may bring the unlocking firms that are underground into the limelight.

Apple says that the DMCA might say jailbreaking is legal, but if you do so you will lose your warranty. Apple stays says users shouldn’t jailbreak their devices. A video of the HTC smartphones comparing the AMOLED screen and Super LCD screens turned up Tuesday. The displays are said to be consistent with each other.

The Apple Magic Trackpad was unveiled Tuesday. The device had been rumored for a while and is a gesture supporting Bluetooth trackpad for desktop computers. Apple also unveiled a new AA battery charger. Apple claims that the charger has the lowest amount of “vampire draw” of any charger at only 30 milliwatts.

Apple added a new 27-inch LED backlit Cinema Display to its lineup. The screen will ship in August for $999. Along with the new display Apple also updated the Mac Pro desktop computer. The machine gets dual 6-core Xeon X5670 CPUs.

Intel announced that it has made a breakthrough in Photonics. The breakthrough let Intel Labs reach data transfer speeds of 50Gbps using light to send the signals. Panasonic announced that it would be offering a 3D lens for its line of Lumix G cameras. The lens puts two lens elements into one lens body and uses software to make the two images into a 3D image.

Panasonic went official with its HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder. The camcorder is the first consumer 3D camcorder and will ship in October for $1400. A geek has come up with his own wearable computer DIY style. The wearable machine is very geeky and uses a Beagleboard and wireless keyboard with a display mounted on a pair of glasses.

Wednesday we posted up our review of the Apple Magic Trackpad. Vince found a lot to like with the thing and recommends it highly. A crazy 125-piece puzzle turned up that hides parts for a fully functioning firearm. Some of the parts go together to build a strange looking single shot pistol.

Thursday Parrot announced a ship date and price of its long anticipated AR.Drone flying machine. The AR.Drone will ship on September 3 for $299 and can be pre-ordered right now. iFixit did its teardown thing with the Apple Magic Trackpad Thursday. There were surprisingly few parts inside the thin trackpad.

The HTC Evo 4G is set to get an update to Android 2.2. The updates will start rolling out on August 3.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has vowed that iPad competitors are coming. The competitors will undoubtedly be Widows 7 though lots of Android tablets are on the horizon too. The Motorola Droid is getting an Android update to version 2.2. The update should go out OTA next week. Thanks for reading this week’s edition!

The publication has disassembled the entire Magic Trackpad and there are surprisingly few pieces inside the device. If you want to get medieval on your own Magic Trackpad or need to fix it you will need a heat gun, soldering iron, spudger, tweezers, and iPod opening tools.

What the heck is a spudger, sort of like a wanker? You can hit up the iFixit source link <a href="“>here to see the big photos and detailed information on the tear down.

Aesthetically there’s no arguing with the Magic Trackpad’s heritage, and it’s obviously intended to sit alongside Apple’s own Bluetooth keyboard. The battery section at the back – which takes a pair of AA cells, which Apple would prefer to be from their own, new charger – elevates the pad to the same angle as the keyboard, and they’re as deep as each other. Physical controls are limited to a power button on one end; the other has a twisting cap that shuts the battery compartment.

Otherwise the magic is all in the trackpad surface, which Apple say is 80-percent larger than what you’ll find on a current unibody MacBook Pro. It’s slightly squarer, so the difference is more noticeable in depth than it is width, but thanks to the glass surface the tactile feel is the same: just slippery enough. The whole pad clicks physically – as before it’s hinged across the top edge, so it gets easier to click the further down your fingers are – but also responds to taps.

So far, so much a regular trackpad, but Apple’s ace is the multitouch gesture support. That’s a combination of the hardware together with the software to take advantage of it; gestures have been baked into OS X for several iterations now, but so far desktop users have had to use a Magic Mouse in order to take advantage of them. Pairing the Magic Trackpad was a straightforward matter – it uses Bluetooth, which is present on every recent Mac – and the quoted range is up to 33ft. Practically speaking, we could comfortably sit on the sofa and control the Mac mini we use as an HTPC from across the room.

The gestures themselves should be familiar to most Mac users. By default, two fingers are used to scroll, with all directions supported, while three fingers swipes back and forth through pages. A chiral-rotate gesture flips image orientation around, while pinch-zooming is also supported. Four fingers, meanwhile, trigger Exposé when swiped up or down, or switch applications when swiped left and right. Thanks to the new settings pane, however, you can selectively shut off certain gestures if you don’t use them, adjust tracking, double-click and scrolling speed (including optional inertia), and change the behavior of three-finger use. Rather than flipping pages, you can set it to drag windows around the screen (a new software update adds the same optional functionality to MacBook trackpads).

Does it work? Certainly, yes, and the experience is just like using an Apple notebook but larger. The MacBook is seldom accused of having too small a trackpad, and so the larger Magic Trackpad is even more capacious. As responsive as you’d expect, the gestures soon become second nature; if you’re familiar with them from the notebook then there’s little in the way of acclimatization time required for the new desktop product. Battery life remains an uncertainty at this stage; Apple reckon that, thanks to the Magic Trackpad’s clever power management, it’ll manage months of use before you have to replace the batteries, so we’ll be keeping an eye on that accordingly.

In the end, the Magic Trackpad is a pretty tempting proposition. Apple will still be bundling their Magic Mouse with new iMac and Mac Pro desktops (you can use the mouse and the trackpad simultaneously, in fact) but anyone who has spent a reasonable length of time with a MacBook will likely know how useful the multitouch gestures can be. $69 for that functionality seems reasonable; the closest competitor is the Wacom Bamboo Touch, which is cheaper at $49 but only supports one- and two-finger gestures and uses a wired USB connection rather than Bluetooth.

We can also see MacBook owners who may have wanted to use third-party ergonomic keyboards but were loath to give up the notebook’s trackpad choosing the Magic Trackpad too. Perhaps more interestingly, it points to the role touch and multitouch will play in Apple’s future, as it spreads across from their PMP/smartphone/tablet and notebook lines and onto the desktop. It’s not hard to envisage a further step to home entertainment, with an updated Apple TV using a Magic Trackpad for navigation and control. As it stands, though, the Apple Magic Trackpad is a strong addition to the company’s concise portfolio of branded peripherals, and neatly sates a request many Mac Pro and iMac users have been making. Unless you’re dead-set on using a mouse, I wholeheartedly recommend the Magic Trackpad, hence giving it two-thumbs up.  Price: $69.00 Apple.com

Unboxing Apple Magic Trackpad and Battery Charger

The new update 1.0 includes the software needed to use the new Magic Trackpad and installs support for gestures. Supported gestures include a three-finger drag and inertial scroll for MacBook and MacBook Pro systems.

The update also has a Trackpad System Preferences Pane for configuring the Magic Trackpad on Intel-based Mac desktop computers with Mac OS X v10.6.4 and up. Apple says that the update has to be run after you pair the Magic Trackpad with your Mac.

Supported gestures include two-finger scrolling, pinching to zoom, rotating with your fingertips, three-finger swiping, and activating Exposé or switching between applications with four fingers.  The Magic Trackpad is also identically angled to the regular Apple Bluetooth keyboard, so they should fit together quite nicely on your desk.

Of course, it also means that those MacBook users who prefer to use an ergonomically designed third-party keyboard but are loathe to give up their multitouch trackpad now have a way of keeping both.  The Apple Magic Trackpad is available now, priced at $69.

The new quad-core Mac Pro range kicks off with a $2,499 machine, which includes:

– one 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3530 processor with 8MB of
fully-shared L3 cache;
– 3GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 16GB;
– ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
– two Mini DisplayPorts and one DVI (dual-link) port (adapters sold
separately);
– 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
– 18x SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
– four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
– five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire® 800 ports;
– AirPort Extreme® 802.11n;
– Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
– Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Magic Mouse.

Meanwhile the new 8-core Mac Pro starts at $3,499 and includes:

– two 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5620 processors with 12MB of
fully-shared L3 cache per processor;
– 6GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 32GB;
– ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
– two Mini DisplayPorts and one DVI (dual-link) port (adapters sold
separately);
– 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
– 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
– four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
– five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports;
– AirPort Extreme 802.11n;
– Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
– Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Magic Mouse.

The new Mac Pro machines will be available in August, with options including the new Magic Trackpad, twin DVD burners and internal RAID.  Hexacore machines will kick off at $4,999.

Press Release:

Apple Unveils New Mac Pro With Up to 12 Processing Cores

CUPERTINO, Calif., July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple® today unveiled a new Mac® Pro line with up to 12 processing cores and up to 50 percent greater performance than the previous generation.* Featuring the latest quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors, all-new ATI graphics and the option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD), the new Mac Pro continues to deliver amazing performance and expandability for the most demanding consumers and professionals.

“The new Mac Pro is the most powerful and configurable Mac we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With up to 12 cores, the new Mac Pro outperforms our previous top-of-the-line system by up to 50 percent, and with over a billion possible configurations, our customers can create exactly the system they want.”

At the heart of the new Mac Pro’s performance are next generation quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 3.33 GHz. These multi-core processors use a single die design so each core can share up to 12MB L3 cache to improve efficiency while increasing processing speed. These systems feature an integrated memory controller for faster memory bandwidth and reduced memory latency; Turbo Boost to dynamically boost processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz; and Hyper-Threading to create up to 24 virtual cores. The Mac Pro now comes with the ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor with 1GB of memory and customers can configure-to-order the even faster ATI Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB of memory.

For the first time, Mac Pro customers have the option to order a 512GB SSD for the ultimate in reliability and lightning fast performance. With the ability to install up to four SSD drives in the system’s internal drive bays, the new Mac Pro can provide ultra high-speed disk bandwidth and random disk performance, two times faster than the average performance of a standard disk drive.** Mac Pro also now features two Mini DisplayPorts and one dual-link DVI port. The additional Mini DisplayPort output allows customers to connect two LED Cinema Displays without an additional graphics card or adapter and the dual-link DVI port supports legacy DVI-based displays up to a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.

Every Mac Pro comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse and customers can also order Apple’s new Magic Trackpad as an option. The Magic Trackpad brings the intuitive Multi-Touch(TM) gestures of Mac notebook trackpads to the desktop. With its glass surface, the wireless Magic Trackpad allows users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with their fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of web pages or photos. The Magic Trackpad can be configured to support single button or two button commands and supports tap-to-click as well as a physical click. Magic Trackpad is available separately for $69.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple’s desktop lineup is a leader in green design. The Mac Pro meets stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.*** The Mac Pro enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and the interior is designed to be more material-efficient. The Mac Pro uses PVC-free internal cables and components and contains no brominated flame retardants. The new Apple Battery Charger provides a convenient and environmentally friendly way to always have a fresh set of batteries for your Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. The Apple Battery Charger is available as an option for $29 and comes with six long shelf life rechargeable batteries.

Every Mac also comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto®, with breakthrough ways to organize and manage your photos by who appears in them and where they were taken; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand® which offers a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.

Optional Apple professional applications include Aperture®, Final Cut® Express, Final Cut Studio®, Logic® Express and Logic Studio®.

Pricing & Availability

The new Mac Pro will be available in August through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

The new quad-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:

– one 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3530 processor with 8MB of
fully-shared L3 cache;
– 3GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 16GB;
– ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
– two Mini DisplayPorts and one DVI (dual-link) port (adapters sold
separately);
– 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
– 18x SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
– four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
– five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire® 800 ports;
– AirPort Extreme® 802.11n;
– Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
– Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Magic Mouse.

The new 8-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of $3,499 (US), includes:

– two 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5620 processors with 12MB of
fully-shared L3 cache per processor;
– 6GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 32GB;
– ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
– two Mini DisplayPorts and one DVI (dual-link) port (adapters sold
separately);
– 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
– 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
– four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
– five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports;
– AirPort Extreme 802.11n;
– Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
– Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include:
– one 3.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3565 processor for the quad-core Mac
Pro;
– one 3.33 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon W3680 processor for the quad-core Mac
Pro;
– two 2.66 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon X5650 processors (12-cores) for the
8-core Mac Pro;
– two 2.93 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon X5670 processors (12-cores) for the
8-core Mac Pro;
– two ATI Radeon HD 5770 cards with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
– one ATI Radeon HD 5870 card with 1GB of GDDR5 memory;
– up to 16GB of DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory for the quad-core Mac Pro;
– up to 32GB of DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory for the 8-core Mac Pro;
– up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD); or
– up to four 1TB or 2TB Serial ATA hard drives running at 7200 rpm;
– Mac Pro RAID card;
– dual-channel or quad-channel 4Gb Fibre Channel card; and
– up to two 18x SuperDrives with double-layer support.

Accessories include: Magic Trackpad, Apple Battery Charger, wired Apple Mouse, wireless Apple Keyboard, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, the AppleCare® Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server; iWork®, Logic Express 9, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 3. Complete options and accessories are available at www.apple.com/macpro.

*Testing conducted by Apple in July 2010 using preproduction Mac Pro 12-core 2.93 GHz units and shipping Mac Pro 8-core 2.93 GHz units, all configured with 6GB of RAM. Based on render performance of Maxwell Render 2.0.3 using Benchwell’s sculpture.mxs. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Pro.

**Testing conducted by Apple in July 2010 using preproduction Mac Pro 12-core 2.93 GHz units configured with 6GB of RAM, 1TB 7200-rpm hard disk drive and 512GB solid-state drive. Testing conducted using Iometer 2006.07.27 with a 30-second ramp-up, 5-minute run duration, 128KB request size, 8 outstanding IOs, and 150GB test file. Average rotational media performance calculated by creating the test file on the outer, middle and inner sectors of the drive and averaging the results from all three measurements. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Pro.

***EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

The 27-inch 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 iMac, meanwhile, starts at $1,999, with 4GB of DDR3 memory, ATI Radeon HD 5750 1GB graphics and a 1TB hard-drive.  A 2.93 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 processor is an option, as is SSD storage and up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM.  All have FireWire 800, USB 2.0 (not USB 3.0), WiFi-n and a slot-loading DVD burner.

As for the Apple Magic Trackpad, that’s a $69 peripheral that brings the same multitouch gestures from the MacBook/MacBook Pro notebook range to the desktop.  It supports one, two, three and four finger gestures, together with taps. More information here.

Press Release:

Apple Updates iMac Line

Introduces New Multi-Touch Magic Trackpad

CUPERTINO, Calif., July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple® today updated its all-in-one iMac® line, widely praised as the world’s best desktop computers, with the latest Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors and powerful new graphics. Starting at $1,199, the new iMac line is the fastest ever with dual-core processor speeds up to 3.6 GHz, quad-core speeds up to 2.93 GHz and discrete graphics including the powerful ATI Radeon HD 5750. The new Magic Trackpad, with a smooth glass and aluminum design, gives iMac users the same intuitive Multi-Touch(TM) gestures that Mac® notebook customers have come to love and is available separately for $69.

“We took the world’s best all-in-one and made it even better,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With the latest processors, high-performance graphics and signature aluminum and glass design, customers are going to love the latest iMac.”

Dual-core Intel Core i3 and Core i5, and quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 processors set a new benchmark for iMac performance. The processors feature an integrated memory controller to access the system memory directly, allowing the new iMac to take full advantage of its faster 1333 MHz memory. New discrete ATI Radeon HD processors deliver incredibly smooth, crisp graphics for the most demanding 3D games, creative software and technical applications. iMac displays feature IPS technology to deliver a brilliant image across a wide 178 degree viewing angle. The SD card slot on the iMac now supports the SDXC format to handle the latest high-capacity storage cards. Customers of the 27-inch iMac have the option to order a 256GB solid state drive (SSD) as a primary or secondary drive. The iMac SSD supports up to 215 MB/s data transfer rates for faster startup and application launch times.

Every iMac comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse and customers can also order the new Magic Trackpad as an option. The Magic Trackpad brings the intuitive Multi-Touch gestures of Mac notebook trackpads to the desktop. With its glass surface, the wireless Magic Trackpad enables users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with their fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of web pages or photos. The Magic Trackpad can be configured to support single button or two button commands and supports tap-to-click as well as a physical click.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple’s desktop lineup is a leader in green design. The iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.* iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac uses PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs. A new Apple Battery Charger provides a convenient and environmentally friendly way to always have a fresh set of batteries for your Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. The Apple Battery Charger is available for $29 and comes with six long shelf life rechargeable batteries.

Every Mac also comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto®, with breakthrough ways to organize and manage your photos by who appears in them and where they were taken; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand® which offers a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.

Pricing & Availability

The new iMac line is shipping now and available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

The new 21.5-inch 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:

– 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LED-backlit display;
– 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache;
– 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
– ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graphics with 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM;
– 500GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
– slot-load 8x SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD+/-R
DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
– Mini DisplayPort for audio and video output (adapters sold
separately);
– AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
– iSight® video camera;
– Gigabit Ethernet;
– four USB 2.0 ports;
– one SDXC SD card slot;
– one FireWire® 800 port;
– built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
– Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include up to 8GB of RAM.

The new 21.5-inch 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

– 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LED-backlit display;
– 3.20 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache;
– 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
– ATI Radeon HD 5670 discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3;
– 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
– slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R
DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
– Mini DisplayPort for audio and video output (adapters sold
separately);
– AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
– iSight video camera;
– Gigabit Ethernet;
– four USB 2.0 ports;
– one FireWire 800 port;
– one SDXC SD card slot;
– built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
– Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include a faster 3.6 GHz Core i5 processor, 2TB hard drive and up to 8GB of RAM.

The new 27-inch 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,699 (US), includes:

– 27-inch 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit display;
– 3.20 GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache;
– 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
– ATI Radeon HD 5670 discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3;
– 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
– slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R
DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
– Mini DisplayPort for audio and video input and output (adapters sold
separately);
– AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
– iSight video camera;
– Gigabit Ethernet;
– four USB 2.0 ports;
– one FireWire 800 port;
– one SDXC SD card slot;
– built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
– Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include a 3.6 GHz Core i5 processor, 2TB hard drive, 256GB solid state drive (SSD) and up to 16GB of RAM.

The new 27-inch 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:

– 27-inch 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit display;
– 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor with 8MB shared L3 cache;
– 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 16GB;
– ATI Radeon HD 5750 discrete graphics with 1GB GDDR5;
– 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
– slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R
DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
– Mini DisplayPort for audio and video input and output (adapters sold
separately);
– AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
– iSight video camera;
– Gigabit Ethernet;
– four USB 2.0 ports;
– one FireWire 800 port;
– one SDXC SD card slot;
– built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
– Wireless Apple Keyboard, Magic Mouse.

Configure-to-order options include a 2.93 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 processor, a 2TB hard drive, 256GB solid state drive (SSD) and up to 16GB of RAM.

Additional accessories include: Magic Trackpad, Apple Battery Charger, wired Apple Mouse, wired Apple Keyboard, wired Apple Keyboard with numeric keypad, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, the AppleCare® Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of iWork®, Logic® Express 9, Final Cut® Express 4 and Aperture® 3.

*EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

© 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, iMac, Multi-Touch, Snow Leopard, iLife, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, Apple Store, SuperDrive, AirPort Extreme, iSight, FireWire, AppleCare, iWork, Logic, Final Cut and Aperture are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.