Apple updated its iMac consumer desktop line today, just ahead of next week"s Apple Expo Paris. It also updated its iPod line. The new iMac contains a 1.25GHz PowerPC 7455 G4-class processor and adds 333MHz DDR SDRAM support. Two versions are on offer, one with a 15in LCD, the other with a 17in screen. Both displays are powered by Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra chips with 64MB of DDR VRAM. Both models ship with 256MB of memory and an 80GB hard drive.
Both models are ready to support 802.11g wireless networking and Bluetooth wireless connectivity through optional add-in adaptors. A pricier version of the 17in model bundles both adaptors, and ups the memory and hard disk capacity to 512MB and 160GB, respectively. The 17in iMacs features Apple"s DVD-R/CD-RW Superdrive; the 15in model contains a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo optical drive. It also ships with a 1GHz CPU. All three models now feature USB 2.0 ports, but no Firewire 800 connector.
In the UK, the three models retail for around £999, £1449 and £1712.99, respectively. Prices include sales tax. In the US, the three cost $1299, $1799 and $2448, the latter shipping with 1GB of memory, rather than the UK system"s 512MB. The new iPods feature 20GB and 40GB hard drives, respectively, and replace the previous 15GB and 30GB models. Price remain unchanged at $399/£299 and $499/£399.