Apple delivers 2-GHz iMac G5, cuts top model's price

Computerworld - Continuing a string of hardware and software rollouts, Apple Computer Inc. today updated its iMac G5 all-in-one desktop computer, bumping the processor speed in the midrange and top-end models to 2 GHz and building in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 wireless networking in all three versions.
Apple also announced an update to its eMac desktop computer, upgrading that desktop's processor speed, memory and hard disk capacity.
"We have a very exciting update to the iMacs today," Tom Boger, senior director Desktop Product Marketing at Apple, said in an interview. "We've added hundreds of dollars of value to [them], and we ended up with the most feature-rich consumer product line we've offered."
In addition to getting faster G5 processors, the iMac now includes an ATI Radeon 9600 video card that features 128MB video memory -- twice the video RAM available before -- a new 8X SuperDrive that provides double-layer burn support, built-in Gigabit Ethernet and 512MB of RAM across the line.
The announcement comes less than a week after Apple updated its Power Mac line of computers and cut prices on some of its LCD monitors (see story), and follows the release Friday of its latest operating system, Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" (see story)The new iMacs and eMacs will come with Tiger installed, Boger said.
Although the iMacs have been generally aimed at home users, Boger claimed that the iMac G5 "is appealing to a wide variety of customers. It's appealing to consumers and the education market and business as well." He said the popular desktop model, first unveiled late last August, would appeal to "anyone looking for a compact, all-in-one system that gives you a brilliant display, graphics performance great networking."
The new iMacs are available now, with the entry-level 17-in., 1.8-GHz model priced at $1,299; the midrange model, with a 17-in. screen, 2-GHz G5 processor and SuperDrive, priced at $1,499; and the high-end 20-in. iMac 2-GHz model priced at $1,799. That represents a $100 price drop for the most expensive model.
The now discontinued models also dropped in price, with the old top-of-the-line iMac G5 now selling for $1,599.
According to Boger, iMac buyers have "really taken to using wireless connectivity," which is why Apple decided to add its 802.11g-based Airport Extreme cards to the iMacs, as well as Bluetooth 2.0. "We think this is going to be an extremely important enhancement for a lot of people."
He noted that hard drive space on all three iMac models was also increased. The entry and midrange models now have160GB hard drives; the top model now has a 250GB hard drive. And a 400GB hard drive is available as a build-to-order option on all three.
He also pointed to the upgraded SuperDrive -- which can now burn files to double-layer discs holding 8.5GB of data -- and the increased video RAM. "Basically, we wanted to upgrade every aspect of the system," Boger said.
Apple also updated its eMac desktop computers, bumping up that model's G4 processor to 1.42 GHz, doubling the hard drive size on each model and boosting the video capabilities by adding ATI Radeon 9600 cards. The $999 eMac also gets more standard memory -- 512MB -- and a SuperDrive with dual-layer support.
"If you just look at the last couple of quarters, we've had some tremendous updates," Boger said. "We have the strongest consumer line we have ever offered."