Filed under: iMac

After some early morning downtime, Apple's store is now back and featuring new iMac configurations. Full details are on the iMac technical specifications page. The new systems offer Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors (no more Core 2 Duo!) with improved graphics and new Magic Trackpad support.

The refreshed machines include dual core processors from 3.06 GHz up to 3.6 GHz, and quad core processors from 2.8 GHz up to 2.93 GHz. Hard drives go up to 2TB and the iMac also supports a drool-worthy 256 GB solid state drive option. Standard RAM includes 4GB of 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM with four SO-DIMM slots, allowing up to 16GB. The 21.5" model maxes out with a 3.6GHz Core i5 chip, and the 27" tops out with a 2.93GHz quad-core i7 chip.

Graphic options on the new machines include the ATI Radeon HD 5750. The new machines add support for the SDXC memory card format as well. The 27-inch model also supports dual hard drives as a BTO option.

Apple's press release covers the new models' speedy goodness.

File under "Oops!" Macrumors points out that Apple's own Apple Store iPhone app gave a sneak preview of today's product announcements.

We'll dive in on the new gear (new iMacs, magic trackpad... and a battery charger?) in a few moments.

Several sources are reporting that Apple is notifying direct and indirect sales channels of upcoming shortages of stock for the iMac. It appears that Apple is drawing down inventory in anticipation of the introduction of new models of the popular desktop machines.

According to AppleInsider, a source says that Apple is informing some distributors not to expect future shipments of the 21.5" 3.06 GHz iMac, indicating that the model may no longer be in production.

It's widely expected that a new iMac lineup would include a dual-core Intel Core i5 model in addition to the existing quad-core i5 and i7 configurations. It's not known if the new iMacs will include USB 3.0 support. The new specification has been out for more than a year, and many Mac fans are looking forward to seeing support for the standard. USB 3.0 provides transfer speeds up to ten times what the existing USB 2.0 spec can handle, and is more power efficient.

Still missing in action is a new Mac Pro, which hasn't seen an update in quite some time. Some rumors have stated that Apple is working on a 12-core Intel Xeon-based Mac Pro for release later this year.

I'm about to buy a new iMac to replace the 20" that's been gracing my desktop since the Intel iMacs first arrived on the scene back in 2006. It's still a pretty good machine, with a 2 GHz Intel Core Duo CPU and 2 GB of RAM, but it's been somewhat sluggish for me lately and I want to replace it with something with a bit more horsepower. It's not that it's getting slower, but some of the apps I'm using on the iMac are severely taxing its capabilities and the 20" display is too small.

When I expressed my desire for a 27" Quad-Core iMac last week, a couple of my TUAW cohorts wondered why. Several asked why I didn't just get one of the new i5 or i7 MacBook Pros, while another said I should just go out and purchase a Mac mini and a good cheap 27" display. But no, I still like the iMac. While I really don't need to justify my personal purchasing decisions to my co-workers, I thought this might make good fodder for a post about an Apple product that doesn't get a lot of attention these days.

Brian Chen over at Wired came across this sweet Victorian iMac mod. If you're a steampunk fan, it's a must have. The owner of Old Time Computer makes all the covers by hand. This iMac's cover is hand crafted oak with brass and gold trim accents. A hand painted faux marble finish base covers the iMac's aluminum stand. To complete the look there's a keyboard trim cover made of oak and gold trim for the Apple Wireless Keyboard. If you've got deeper pockets, splurge on the antique keyboard and mouse set. The iMac cover is available for the 20-inch and 24-inch Core 2 Duo models and start at US$265 with the keyboard costing an additional $345.

Now the iMac can finally join the Mac mini in steampunk glory.

Let's say you have a Mac collecting dust in the corner of your garage. Rather than succumb to your spouse's demands and send the old friend to computer heaven, why not re-purpose that Mac into something both functional and beautiful?

Cult of Mac points us to one enterprising hardware modder who has converted the base of his iMac G4 into a round wall clock. Take a look above on the left for the final result of his Dremel-sourced endeavor. This Apple fan from Japan was also kind enough to post photos of his DIY adventure [Google Translate link]. Check out another image below; the aluminum really pops on the dark wall.
Additionally, it seems that the inspiration for the iClock came from another Japanese modder who converted his PowerMac G5 into a functioning timepiece as well. Seen at the top on the right is the completed product. When all is said and done, it seems as though the PowerMac is still usable as computer. This qualifies the creator's work to be considered a "case mod" rather than an all out butchering -- which is ideal because a chopped Mac is a sad Mac. The PowerClock owner also posted in-progress shots of his work [Google Translate link].
I tend to fall in the camp that favors "software" modification, believing that for any piece of computing hardware there is some flavor of Linux that can breathe in new life. Unfortunately, however, sometimes Macs and PCs alike simply bite the dust and are only good for conversion into clocks or lamps.

Apple's laptops and iMacs are attractive targets for thieves, since they're easy to move and have a good resale value. We've seen several Mac applications or services that work to help you retrieve your favorite Apple product if it is ever stolen; LoJack for Laptops (US$39.95 per year), Undercover ($49.00 for a lifetime of tracking), and MacTrak ($24.95 per year) are all perfect examples of these programs.

Most of these apps have two things in common; they will attempt to locate the whereabouts of the computer and also send a picture of the thief using the built-in iSight camera. Now a new name has appeared in the field; hidden. The name is apt, since there's no visible sign on the computer that the software has been installed. There's no app in the applications folder, and no preference pane. To use the application, you simply download and install it, then restart your Mac.

Most of the time, your Mac won't be sending out updates of its location. When it is stolen or lost, you go to the hiddenapp.com website, log in, and then change the status for the tracked computer from "not stolen" to "stolen." The service begins looking for your Mac, and within minutes the site displays a Google map showing its approximate location (determined through Wi-Fi geolocation) and, more importantly, photos of the person using the Mac and screenshots of what they are doing. Location updates happen every 10 minutes and also include traceroute information including the public IP address of the Wi-Fi network being used by the thief. This information can be provided to ISPs and local police to help you get your computer back.

In what should be used by Apple as a testament to the solid construction of their computers, a Swedish man, Anders Norman, suffered a tragedy last Wednesday when his house burned down. To Norman's surprise, his iMac survived the conflagration despite being burned and partially melted.

Norman's experience (translated from Swedish) follows: "Unfortunately, the whole house and all things in there completely destroyed, so even the iMac. What's funny is that it is still in operation. While damaged from smoke and dust and partially melted, but yet, however in operation.

After I plugged in the burned power cord and wiped off the worst dust from the screen I pressed the melted start button. Imagine my surprise when the startup sound sings from the speakers! The screen turns on and the machine connects to the wireless network.

The mouse works flawlessly and the scroll wheel as well. Firefox starts and I take up the article from the local magazine about the fire ... Fantastic!

On Friday I bought a new iMac at the Apple Store here in Umeå, which I now rejoice."

To see just how bad the damage was, take a look at this second photograph by Anders Norman that was shown on the Feber.se website:
Thanks to TUAW readers Emil and Roger for the tip.

Gizmodo is reporting that Apple has begun refunding up to an extra 15% of the purchase price of the 27-inch iMac to those customers who bought defective units.

The news broke yesterday with a UK-based Apple Authorized Service Provider/Reseller claiming that Apple is out of 27" screens in Europe, and they're dealing with a waiting list of customers already. So they're now offering up (to only certain customers so far, not an official policy) not only a full refund, but an extra 15% on top of the price, roughly $300 on the cost of a $2000 iMac.

Gizmodo also points out that the refund doesn't include sales tax or shipping costs, so some of the 15% covers that as well. You won't be able to make money on this, but Apple is apparently offering up a small bonus to customers inconvenienced by the issues.

Earlier this week Apple released another firmware update to address the flickering screen issues with the 27-inch iMacs but it seems that has not alleviated all the issues.

Amid rumors that Apple has halted production of the 27-inch iMac due to display issues, Apple has released a second firmware update. The update, which is for iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) only:

Updates the display firmware on 27-inch iMac systems to address issues that may cause intermittent display flickering.

The update weighs in at 294KB and can be downloaded here or through Software Update.

The first 27-inch iMac update was released on December 21, 2009 that updated "the graphics firmware on ATI Radeon HD 4670 and 4850 graphics cards to address issues that may cause image corruption or display flickering."

Update: MacNN reports that a "reliable source" (read: rumor) has told them that Apple has ceased production of Core i5- and i7-based iMacs until they've fixed this issue for good.

At the end of last year, customers who bought 27" iMacs reported screen flickering. Apple acknowledged the problem and released a firmware update intended to fix it back in December. Unfortunately, the problem persists.

According to Ars Technica, Apple's internal support system is aware of the continuing problem and working on a fix. Customers who complain about the issue are to be told that their faulty display can be replaced "...in about three weeks." Note that the units currently for sale have a 3-week shipping time, so you might want to wait a month before making a purchase Ars suggests, and we agree.

The shipping delays began in December when Apple declined to comment on why, but discussion threads pointed to the display. The delay was pushed ahead even further in January, which is how we got to the present 3-week wait.

Here's hoping this gets fixed soon and all you owners can enjoy your 27" iMacs in all their non-flickering glory.

Did you order one of those sweet 27-inch iMacs from the Apple online store recently? Well, if you did, expect to see a delay in getting it.

AppleInsider is reporting that the 27-inch models currently have a three-week shipping time. Earlier this week, Apple's web store showed estimated shipping times of less than a week.

The delay could be due to several factors. First, initial users of the 27-inch model had been experiencing screen flicker issues, which caused orders made in December to be delayed about two weeks. Apple released a software patch for the big-screen iMac on December 21st that was meant to resolve the screen flicker issues, but many purchasers are still experiencing the problems. It could be that Apple is slowing the pace of manufacturing until the situation is resolved.

Another possibility not addressed in the AppleInsider post could be that the demand for the 27-inch iMac is reaching a new peak. The iMac line made up the best-selling desktop computers in the U.S. in the last quarter of 2009, with the 21.5-inch model topping the charts. It's not entirely out of the question that demand at Apple resellers, including the Apple Stores, is finally being met by the supply of the 27-inch model and that fewer of the machines are available for purchase online.

If you're looking for a 27-inch iMac, we'd recommend visiting a local Apple reseller rather than attempting to purchase it directly through the online Apple Store.

When Gene Munster talks, people listen.

The Piper Jaffray analyst delivered one of his missives this morning stating that his analysis of Mac retail sales in the U.S., based on numbers tracked by NPD Group, are up about 26% year-over-year for the December quarter. This is higher than the average Wall Street estimate of 19% year-over-year growth.

What does that mean in terms of units sold? Munster, who is not pictured at right, believes that translates to about 3.1 million Macs sold in the U.S. last quarter. Munster's last estimate was for Apple to sell around 2.9 million Macs, so even his own estimates are turning out to be somewhat conservative.

Munster believes that Street estimates for 2010 will need to come up. The Street shows about 14% year-over-year growth in Mac sales this year, which is well below the 20% or so growth that Apple is demonstrating. In his note, Munster wrote that "2010 is shaping up to be the year of the Mac."

Munster concluded his note with a statement that he's confident in his estimate of 9.3 million iPhone shipments last quarter. We'll all find out for sure on Monday, when Apple reports the actual December quarter results. We'll liveblog the financial fun right here on TUAW, so stay tuned next week.

[via Business Insider]

iMacs are great, except when you have one sitting with its back to a wall and you need to plug something into the back of it. Particularly with the larger models, you end up having to pick up the iMac and swing it around to get to those ports on the back. Wouldn't it be a lot easier if you could just spin it?

That's the idea behind the Rain Design i360, a turntable that encloses the base of an iMac or Apple Cinema Display, and then allows easy movement of the display. Want to show a co-worker on the "back" side of your iMac something? Just spin the entire computer around. Need to plug or unplug something? No problem -- just swing the iMac or Cinema Display around and do it.

I've had an i360 on my first-generation Intel iMac since just after I bought it, and I can't count the number of times that it has saved me from having to pick up the computer and slide it around to plug something in. I've recommended the i360 to many of my Mac consulting customers who have iMacs or Cinema Displays, and many of them end up buying the device.

Happy New Year, everybody! It's 2010, and that means we're all riding around in flying cars, shooting laser guns at each other, and we all have robot servants to do all of our work for us. Oh wait, that didn't work out as planned, did it? At least we've got this awesome lamp, which was made from the old iMac G4 (which was actually nicknamed the "iLamp") that had the monitor moving around on a swivel. The bottom base case has been turned into the shade, but the arm is still there, ready to position the light wherever you want it to go.

Pretty sweet. Unfortunately, if you want one of your own, you'll have to hurry: as of this writing, there's only one left for sale on this Etsy page, and that one will set you back $75. But if you've got an old iMac sitting around and a little electric know-how, it shouldn't be too hard to rig one together yourself. Or you could just get your robot servant to do it for you!