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Apple's 2011 iMac undergoes teardown, shows off fancy new upgrades
Yesterday, you saw the new 21.5-inch iMac fully specced out and up for sale on Apple's online store, and you were even treated to the sight of its 27-inch sibling pushing three displays and 11 megapixels of resolution. Today, you get to witness Apple's latest all-in-one computer fully disassembled. iFixit is doing the honors, as usual, and the investigation starts with the detachment of that familiar LG-produced IPS display and a Sony Optiarc optical drive, followed by the discovery of an Intel controller for the solitary Thunderbolt port on board (there are two on the larger model). Other notables include an AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics chip and a 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 CPU, but you'll have to punch the source link to see them up close and personal.
iMac rumor mill suggests new models could be coming next week
This one is obviously still very much in rumor territory, but a couple of separate reports have cropped up today that suggest Apple could be set to debut some updated iMacs as soon as next week. That includes a report from 9 to 5 Mac that iMac orders are being delayed until May 2nd, despite the fact that they're still listed as shipping within 24 hours on Apple's website, and a separate confirmation from a trusted source of the site, who says that Apple will stop shipping iMacs to retailers this week in advance of next week's supposed release. That's further backed up by a report from Mac Rumors, which cites another source who says that Apple will be changing the promotional materials in its retail stores for a launch on Tuesday, May 3rd. Details are comparatively light on the rumored new iMacs themselves, but the safe money seems to be on Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt ports.
iMac (mid 2010) Core i3 review
There's nothing outwardly different about the new iMacs Apple just released last Tuesday, but the hardware underneath that familiar aluminum chassis has gotten faster -- particularly on the low end, where a new 3.06GHz Intel Core i3 processor and discrete ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics chip have taken over for the previous gen's 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo and integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400m. That's a big boost -- Apple claims the new version is some 50 percent faster -- and so we actually turned down the hot-rod 27-inch 2.93GHz Core i7 iMac in favor of a stock $1,199 21.5-inch Core i3 when it came time to pick up a review unit. We wanted to see just how much bang Apple's delivering for the entry-level buck, and we weren't disappointed when the tests came back. Read on for the full review!
Apple iMac line gets speedbumped, low-end gets a Core i3
It's not as if we haven't heard the rumors building over the last few months, but Apple's long-standing iMac line is seeing its first real update since the Fall of last year on this fine morning. As predicted, the refreshed family now contains Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processor options, not to mention discrete ATI Radeon HD GPU options, IPS panels, an SD slot that understands the complexities of SDXC and an SSD option on the 27-inch machine. For whatever reason, Apple's not throwing in its new Magic Trackpad with any iMac; instead, it'll be a $69 accessory. One swank addition to this line, however, is the ability to order your new all-in-one with both an HDD and an SSD on the 27-inch model. Of course, it'll cost you dearly (a 1TB HDD plus a 256GB SSD is a $750 CTO option, while the 2TB HDD in that combo makes it a $900 option), but at least there's room inside for DIY adds. Here's a look at the available configurations, with last Fall's lineup saved here for reference: The low-end $1,199 unit boasts a 21.5-inch display (1,920 x 1,080), a 3.06GHz Core i3 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI's Radeon HD 4670 GPU (256MB) and a 500GB hard drive. There's also an 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with dual-layer support, Mini DisplayPort, AirPort Extreme 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, iSight webcam, gigabit Ethernet, a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets, a single FireWire 800 port and a bundled wireless Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse. There's a new $1,499 21.5-inch model that includes a 3.20GHz Core i3, ATI Radeon HD 5670 GPU (512MB), a 1TB hard drive and 4GB of DDR3 memory (along with the usual suspects mentioned above). The $1,699 model is a 27-incher with a 2,560 x 1,440 LED-backlit display, 3.20GHz Core i3 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI's Radeon HD 5670 (512MB), a 1TB hard drive and available CTO options that include a 3.6GHz Core i5, 2TB HDD, 256GB SSD and up to 16GB of RAM. The flagship $1,999 flavor (27-inch) packs a 2.8GHz quad-core Core i5 with 8MB of shared L3 cache, 4GB of DDR3 memory, ATI's Radeon HD 5750 GPU (1GB), a 1TB hard drive and available CTO options that include a 2.93GHz Core i7 CPU, 2TB hard drive, 256GB SSD and up to 16GB of memory. %Gallery-98274%
iMac refresh is imminent, according to reseller sources
The latest word from behind Apple-authorized cashiers is that Cupertino has stopped shipping out fresh stock of its entry-level 21-inch iMac. The Core 2 Duo-equipped machines were already looking long in the tooth in this Core i-something era, and so predictably the latest speculation centers around the idea of Apple taking its full iMac range into Core i3, i5 and i7 territory. Nobody really knows any of the specs for the moment, but resellers are apparently being advised to sell through what stock they have and to "keep inventories lean" for the next few weeks. Considering Apple's last all-in-one overhaul coincided with the introduction of the Magic Mouse, we're starting to suspect the company might have another iMac plus touch input device combo coming -- potentially in the very near future.
Belkin's AV360 Mini DisplayPort Converter lets you play Xbox 360 on iMac, costs as much as an Arcade
If you're inhabiting one of those quaint, downtown studio apartments in which your sink, oven, computer, and toilet are all within reach of your swiveling desk chair, and if that computer happens to be a 27-inch iMac, we have good news for you. Belkin has introduced its AV360 Mini DisplayPort Converter, which takes an HDMI input at up to 1080p and squeezes it into a Mini DisplayPort connector at 720p for display on your iMac. It'll also push stereo audio through and is HDCP-compliant, so even protected content from your Blu-ray player will get by. The cost? $150, which is cheaper than getting a second display, but an awful lot for a converter box with a single input -- especially when MonoPrice has similar offerings (which admittedly lack audio and HDCP) for under $10. But, if you don't have room for anything else, this will fit in nicely with you and your minimalist/affluent lifestyle. Update: We got it wrong on the MonoPrice reference here. That adapter goes the other way!
iMac burns, melts, survives to tell the gruesome tale
We reckon this is a story with something for everyone. Microsoft zealots can see Apple's hardware burnt beyond melting point, while Cupertino loyalists can enjoy the fact that the iMac lived on after it. Anders Norman of Sweden recently suffered a major house fire, but has emerged from it with some good humor and a scorched but amazingly still functional computer. He tells us that even the mouse's scroll wheel is operational and he took a picture of the iMac displaying the local news website's report of his home's unfortunate demise. Click the source link for more pictures. [Thanks, Robert]
Kanex shows off HDMI to Mini DisplayPort adapter, your iMac celebrates
It ain't the first HDMI-to-Mini DisplayPort adapter that we've heard of, but there's nothing like a little competition in a market that Apple's own closed mindset helped create. Bitterness aside, we're pretty stoked to hear that Kanex -- the same company responsible for that oh-so-handy Mini DisplayPort Adapter for Mac mini -- has introduced its own solution for piping Blu-ray, Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 signals right onto that gorgeous 27-inch panel that resides in your iMac. Our BFFs over at TUAW stopped by the outfit's Macworld booth in order to give it a look, and they said that every pixel looked absolutely fantastic. Sadly, it looks as if you'll have to wait until April to drop your buck-fifty (not including cables), but hey, it's not like using that 13-inch CRT for a few more months will kill you. Or maybe it will, on second thought. Update: Apogee is Kanex's parent company. Apogee specializes in audio and video solutions, while the Kanex brand focuses on audio and video solutions for Macs.
Apple launching 22-inch touchscreen iMac this year?
Sure, those new Core i7, 27-inch iMacs are lovely things (when they're working), but there's something missing: the sense of touch. That's coming soon, according to a report published in the Chinese Commercial Times. The new 22-inch model is said to slot in between current 21.5- and 27-inch iMacs, will use a capacitive touchscreen provided by Sintek Photronic, and unsurprisingly will be built by Quanta. Beyond that, and a supposed release before the end of the year, we know nothing -- but maybe we'll learn more at a certain press event next week?
Apple apologizes for iMac delays, keeps mum on DOA / display issues
Some contrition is better than none, we suppose, and upon being probed about lengthy delays on top of two-week shipping times for its slick 27-inch iMacs, Apple has this weekend tossed its expectant fans an overdue apology: The new iMac has been a huge hit and we are working hard to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience or delay this may cause our customers. Considering the 27-inch Core i7 machines are both the major attraction of the latest iMac refresh and the source of the most headaches for Apple, it's quite appropriate that the company would address its failure to make more prompt deliveries, but we're troubled that there's no further acknowledgement of the widespread issues plaguing those who have received their deliveries. Ah well, we'll take what little corporate humility we can find, and if you're fretting about your own machine, you can check it out for some of the more common defects at the link below.
Apple's Core i5 / i7 27-inch iMacs now shipping to expectant owners
Lovers of Snow Leopard, oversized IPS display panels, and Intel's very latest processors, your time for rejoicing has come. Apple has begun sending off shipping confirmations to customers who ordered up their slab of quad-core all-in-one nirvana in October, and the biggest and baddest iMacs should be arriving at their new homes imminently. To remind you, the reason for waiting on these units was the 2.66GHz Core i5 750 inside, which comes along with 4GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 4850, and a cool terabyte of storage. We're sure some of the eager new owners couldn't resist upgrading that spec to a 2.8GHz Core i7 860, which we can kind of see the sense in -- after all, an iMac is for life, not just for Christmas. That's how that saying goes, right?
New iMac doesn't play nice with Apple's Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter
Apple hasn't exactly been making any promises to the contrary, but it looks like anyone hoping to use the company's Mini Display Port to DVI adapter to hook a game console or other device up to a brand new 27-inch iMac is flat out of luck -- for now, at least. That's because the system's exciting (but pricey) ability to be used as a standalone monitor only applies to devices equipped with their own Mini Display Port at the moment, which does limit your options quite a bit. Of course, it's almost certainly only a matter of time before Apple or a third-party manufacturer comes out with an adapter that does work, but we haven't heard anything firm on that front as of yet.
27-inch iMac torn into tiny bits for the greater good
You've seen the outside of what the new iMacs look like, but do you know what's inside them? If you guessed "lots of tiny components," you win! The folks at iFixit are always on the bleeding edge when it comes to taking big things and turning them into series of smaller things, and they don't disappoint us here. No real surprises, just a few notes, like the external display won't be able to be powered without the integral one being on as well, that the lack of a Blu-ray drive is described as a "bag of hurt," and that "the SuperDrive just doesn't seem so super anymore." Like we said, no surprises, but lots of fun pics.
Apple's Jony Ive waxes eloquently about new iMacs on video
Slow pans. Deliberate zooms. White background. Yes, it's another all too brief sit down with Apple's chief designer Jonathan Ive -- this time talking about the company's freshly revised iMacs. Among other things, Ive seems to be particularly keen on how well that those big new 16:9 displays have been integrated into the design, noting that "it's just display, and then no display." Indeed. Head on past the break to check it out for yourself.
iMac line updated with 16:9 displays, quad-core Core i5 / i7 model
After months of speculation, Apple has unveiled some completely new iMacs, featuring 21.5-inch and 27-inch 16:9 displays and all-aluminum enclosures. The new widescreen IPS panels are LED-backlit and have 178-degree viewing angles -- the 21.5-inch iMac has a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, while the 27-incher comes in at a staggering 2,560 x 1,440. Ports are the same as the outgoing model with the addition of an SD card slot and video-in on the 27-inch (via a special cable), and the wireless keyboard is now standard (as is the all-new Magic Mouse). Pricing tiers haven't changed much: there's a low-end $1,199 21.5-inch model with a 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB drive, a $1,499 model that bumps things up to 1TB of storage and ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics, while the base 27-inch config starts at $1,699 with the same bumped specs. All of those can be custom-configured with up to a 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo, but it's the top-end $1,999 27-inch model that'll bring the real heat when it ships in November; it's packing a 2.66GHz quad-core Core i5 processor (with a 2.8GHz Core i7 available for $200 more) and Radeon HD 4850 graphics. Not a bad little refresh -- but it looks like all you Blu-ray fans are going home alone again. Check the full specs list after the break. %Gallery-75974%
Apple iMac murdered, reborn as all-in-one DreamCast mod
This may look like a beloved iMac, but make no mistake, it's just a shell of its former self. CGCC forum member Logicdustbin decided to gut the all-in-one and replace its innards with a Sega Dreamcast and 15-inch LCD monitor. The result? The iCast, a beautiful homage to simpler times. Hit up the video after the break to see this Fronk-en-shteen in action, playing a game that'll assuredly prepare our children for a post-apocalyptic world. [Via hack a day]
A few new rumors point to two new NVIDIA-packing iMacs
With more and more players getting in on the all-in-one market, both on the high and the low end of the scale, you just have to figure Apple's going to respond with something new and flash to make everyone go "ooh." There were numerous hints last year about a refresh to the line, and now we have a few more that again point to updated NVIDIA-based machines in 20- and 24-inch glossy sizes. The above photo is supposedly from some secret Apple marketing material, and the company is said to also be reducing stock of the old ones at retailers in preparation of a typically dramatic switcheroo. As far as when that will happen, your guess is as good as ours at this point -- you know how much Cupertino loves surprises.[Thanks, iB3nji]
Apple to drop new Macbooks and iMacs at WWDC?
While we know for sure that Steve is going to show off a "feature-complete" version of Leopard at this year's WWDC, and we wouldn't be surprised if the iPhone got some quality time on stage as well, we haven't really heard anything solid about any hardware revisions taking place next month. Well, Gene Munster, Piper Jaffray's resident Apple analyst, crunched some numbers (or visited MacRumors) recently and speculated during a recent conference call that he expects to see new MacBook Pros released at WWDC. Seeing as Apple is basically the only big company that hasn't announced a Santa Rosa laptop, an announcement at WWDC wouldn't exactly shock us, but Munster decided to get a little wackier with his predictions, saying that by his calculations, Apple releases new pro lappies every 182 days, and that the current MBP has been on the market for 209 days. Similarly, Munster used the vast resources of the multinational investment bank that employs him to determine that Apple releases new iMacs around every 168 days, and that the current generation has been on the market for 257 days. Quelle horreur! We're not sure how these numbers led Gene to determine that we'll see new MBPs for sure and maybe new iMacs (seems like the other way around to us), but there it is. Analysts are often prone to over-speculating about Apple launches, but at this point it's almost anyone's guess -- trying to call Apple's next move is a cruel, cruel mistress.[Thanks, Kiwi]
Core 2 Duo iMacs unofficially rock 802.11n capabilities
We know, it's still draft-spec equipment, but the fact that Apple has knowingly strapped an 802.11n-compliant wireless card inside its newest refresh of iMacs could certainly be telling of a certain product's future (or not). While a few enterprising users happened to spot the 802.11n inclusion while kicking around in the latest build of Windows Vista, there seems to be a bit more supporting evidence now; service source documents apparently credit the Broadcom BCM4321-series chip as the brains behind the iMac's WiFi, which Broadcom proudly boasts as the "first IEEE 802.11n draft-compliant solution." While the "firstness" is certainly debatable, the part number is reportedly visible on the iMac's AirPort Extreme module, giving us hope that Vista is somewhat on track and not completely doomed for infinite delays after all. While the current version of OS X chooses to ignore this speedy potential, future releases may be a bit more likely to fully disclose its secrets -- should the IEEE ever get its act together on a final 802.11n protocol, that is. Nevertheless, we're still a bit stumped as to why the snazzy new Mac Pro's didn't get the undercover next-gen WiFi offering, but hey, that's Apple for ya.
