People have had their chances to put their grubby hands on those "incredible" iMacs that got released a few weeks ago, and the results are in. And they're great, apparently. First up, MacRumors has a collection of a few sets of benchmarks on the new machines, and the Core i7 processor (a $200 upgrade from the still very powerful Core i5) especially kicks up the speed to a place where it's competing with even the Mac Pro. In fact, in the second comparison, when pitted up against the single CPU Mac Pro, the iMac is virtually identical. Not only is it slightly cheaper depending on options, but you get that nice monitor for free.

Electronista has a much more qualitative analysis, but they still love the new machine. Their "biggest" problem (aside from the usual complaints about the glossy screen and a lack of easy-to-reach ports) seems to be just the size of it. The 27" iMac is a big machine no matter how thin it gets. But they agree: with the i7 in there and all of the extra options, the iMac is a monster, matching up to the Mac Pros sitting in the lower atmosphere.

Good stuff. I'm not personally in the market for a new computer, but man -- if I was ready to spend $2000 on a quality machine, it's tough to consider anything else a better purchase than the new iMac.

UPDATE: Chart graphic is from Timon Royer, we regret the omission.

This is a cool interview over at Cult of Mac -- you've heard of Steve Jobs of course, you know who Jonathan Ive is, you might have heard of Rob Janoff, but do you know Ken Segall's name? He's a former creative director from TBWA\Chiat\Day, and he has two claims to Apple fame: he worked on the "Think Different" campaign, and he's responsible for coming up with the one letter that may have defined the modern-day Apple as we know it. That's right, he named the iMac.

The writeup is fascinating, even if you get the sense that we're looking through the lens of history, and things may not happened quite as stylishly as they seem. Jobs apparently showed the Bondi Blue iMac to the ad team, and while he originally "hated" the name, he obviously came around -- though Segall apparently never got the satisfaction of official approval.

He closes with an interesting sentiment about the company, too: at Apple, it's always about moving forward to the next big thing, and everything is product-centered, not number-driven. Segall says he was around for a few Jobs "flare-ups," but if there was a fit thrown, it was always in trying to keep the company moving forward as quickly as possible.

Interesting stuff. It's quite a legacy, too -- the iMac was originally called so because it was a Mac that connected to the Internet, but obviously since then, the i has become symbolic of many other things, all the way up to iLife, the iPod, and the iPhone. You tend to forget, after all of the millions of dollars and the culture and promotion, that it all came from the head of a guy in a conference room looking at a computer Jobs just pulled the cloth off of.

Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we have questions about arranging icons on the iPhone, installing Windows via Boot Camp, AirPort networks, iMac rotation support, replacing the video card in an iMac, and more.

As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Leave your questions for next week in the comments section at the end of this post. When asking a question, please include which machine you're using and what version of Mac OS X is installed on it (we'll assume you're running Snow Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions.

Leah asks:

Is there a better way to arrange icons on my iPhone than by trying to drag them around on the phone itself. I can't seem to get it to work very well and usually mess it up.

Apple provided a better way of organizing iPhone icons in iTunes 9. In the past, I always tried to arrange my icons on the iPhone the same way you do, by dragging them around on the device itself. This isn't as easy as it sounds, especially if you have larger hands.

Now, with iTunes 9 or higher installed and your iPhone connected to your Mac or PC, launch iTunes, click on the Applications tab, and you will not only see the apps you have installed on your iPhone, but the iPhone screens and the placement of the icons as well.

Simply drag the icons around in iTunes and put them in the desired order. The next time you sync, the icons are arranged identically on your iPhone as well. It's so much easier.

We've had a few users tell us about performance lags that they're experiencing with their brand new 27" iMacs. Our own Casey Johnston even wrote a quick article about the problem last month. Now that everyone has had a few days to play with the issue and try the obligatory troubleshooting steps, we've been tipped about a possible solution.

One of our readers claims that this isn't just related to Flash playback... it's possible that this lag problem is consistent across the system. Flash taxes your system more than most applications so it would show the lag problem more consistently than another application -- thus making it look like a problem only with Flash.

The suggestion at this point: cycle your wireless connection. By turning AirPort off and on again, some people are seeing the computer regain responsiveness. Obviously this isn't a permanent fix because the issue will most likely appear again after you reboot your machine... we can't say if the fix will persist for the entire session, either; the problem could come back before reboot.

Fellow TUAW blogger Joachim Bean suggests that the issues may be something related to PCI Express. Both the AirPort and graphics card are using PCI Express to communicate with the system. There's a possibility that the lines of communication are crossing during use. I'm still betting on a software issue -- at least, let's hope for that.

Let us know if this helps, or any other possible solutions you might have in the comments.

Thanks, Simon!

SSDs, or solid-state drives, are all the rage in portables these days. They come in MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs directly from Apple (with the appropriate upgrades, of course), and we've seen people upgrade their old-school mechanical drives, hack in a second drive to take advantage of the speed of a shiny new SSD, oreven put one in an AppleTV.

Desktop computers are usually left out of the solid-state love-fest. After all, 3.5" drives are usually less expensive than a 2.5" drive of a similar capacity, and desktop machines are less prone to damage to the disk since they are usually stationary when running.

However, there are times when a solid-state upgrade to a desktop machine makes sense. For Jason Siebert, this was one of those times. When the drive on his 24" iMac started showing the tell-tale signs of a drive on the brink of death, he decided to tear the machine apart and throw in a smaller & faster SSD, and use his Drobo for external storage. Installation was simple for the most part, but some adjustments had to be made to allow for installing a 2.5" drive in the space of a 3.5" drive, and some finagling of the drive due to a too-short SATA cable.

The result is a pretty satisfying speed increase when it comes to opening up applications, and especially when running a virtual machine. Check out the installation instructions and first impressions on Jason's website.

Any upgrades like this should be performed only by skilled users, and of course it may will void your warranty. Proceed at your own risk.

If you were contemplating buying one of those shiny new 27-inch iMacs, maybe don't pull the trigger just yet: according to Engadget, many proud new owners of the computer have become annoyed new owners, reporting pronounced problems in particular with Flash playback.

The problem doesn't appear to be a few isolated cases, as two separate threads (here and here) have popped up in the Apple support forums, nor is it a pandemic, as Engadget reports their iMacs are fine. The suggested causes have ranged from a corrupted Snow Leopard build, to a bug that spins down the hard drive, to the nebulous "bad permissions." In the meantime, though, those big beautiful 27-inch screens are playing video like a 128K trying to run Crysis.

A user on the first thread reported that Apple phone support said the problem was with the graphics card, and that it should be fixable in a software update, though another customer who opened a ticket was instructed to exchange the computer itself. Is Apple going to have to smack down another of its chip partners? We shall see.

If you're looking to do a DIY memory upgrade on your brand-spanking new iMac, Apple's more than happy to tell you how. The Cupertino company has posted info in the Support section of its website telling people who aren't afraid to pop the hood on the new 21.5" and 27" iMacs what kind of memory modules the new machines use and how to install or replace memory modules themselves.

While it's not the public's first look inside the machines, Apple lets the world know that the iMac (Late 2009) has four SDRAM slots, where to find them, and what types of modules will and won't fit happily inside.

Would-be do it yourselfers can search Apple's site for support document HT3918. Godspeed – and Godcaution – to you.

[via Softpedia]

You know by now that once Apple announces a new piece of hardware, it's only a matter of time before someone gets their hands on one only to rip it up and tear every little piece out to see what's in there. And that's exactly what iFixit did with the brand new iMac -- most of us would kill to get one and keep it, and they got one and killed it (Update: Apparently they didn't kill it -- they ended up putting it all back together again). But at least we can learn from their destruction: the LCD panel is the same horizontal resolution as the 30" Cinema display, and the screen itself weighs 11 lbs. The hard drive sits right in the center of the machine, right behind the screen. And there's probably more heat dissipation methods in there than you'd expect: six temp sensors, three fans, two heat sinks, and even a partridge in a pear tree. We're not sure how that last one helps.

Overall, it's a beauty. And the last twist is probably the most interesting -- other than showing off your Mac-itude and lighting the area behind your screen, the Apple logo is apparently wrapped with an Airport antenna. Because the whole thing is encased in aluminum, that's the only place to get a signal, and so that's where they stuck it. Now when people complain that you're just being trendy by showing off the Apple logo, you can tell them you're actually just trying to help out the Wi-Fi reception.

[via Engadget]

Surprisingly, the Mac mini, Magic Mouse, iMac, MacBook, AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule updates are not the only things Apple updated today. Several other products were updated today, which include:

• Apple Wireless Keyboard: This keyboard, the subject of several update rumors, did get revised today. It now only requires 2 AA batteries, down from 3 in the previous model.
• Apple 60W MagSafe Power Adapter: This adapter now has a aluminum connector, much like the one found on the 45 watt adapter for the MacBook Air; it should be more durable for use.
• VESA Mount Adapter Kit: This model for the 24 inch Apple LCD Cinema Display and the previous 24 inch iMac now supports the new 27 inch iMac.

Also, the wired mouse-formerly-known-as-Mighty Mouse -- which is still available -- was renamed to "Apple Mouse." This is consistent with the trademark for Mighty Mouse (the computer mouse) being finally picked up by Man & Machine, instead of CBS and Apple.

Are you going to enjoy the improvements in these products? Let us know in the comments below!

Today, as is frequently the case, the Apple Store Online was taken down and modified to feature new goodies from our favorite fruit-flavored technology company. Now that the store is back up and ready for your ordering pleasure, what's changed?

Well, Apple introduced a whole slew of new and updated products today. Here's the highlights of what's new and different at the store:

New iMac - Revamped to include, among other new features, LED-Backlit screens, dual core and quad core processors and up to 16GB of memory.

New MacBook - Entry level MacBook redesigned to feature unibody enclosure, built-in battery and LED-Backlit screen.

New Mac mini - Revised to include more memory, larger hard drives and with a special "Server" version featuring dual 500GB hard drives and Snow Leopard Server.

New "Magic" Mouse - Gone is the trackball, replaced by a seamless top-shell design that acts as one button or two, It also features a Multi-Touch surface with gesture support.

New Apple Remote - Not as exciting as new Macs but still, kinda cool if you like to control your Macs, um, remotely.

Other items of note reflected in the new products today include the removal of Firewire 400 from all Macs and the removal of the last Mac with a replaceable battery. End of an era folks, end of an era.

Be sure to keep it right here at TUAW all day for in-depth reports on all of today's Apple announcements.

We asked our colleague over at Download Squad, Matt Heerema, for a designer's eye view on the new iMac 27" model.

Designers everywhere will rejoice at the announcement of the 27" iMac. With a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, you are just 160 pixels shy of a full, pricey 30" monitor (2560 x 1600). My current design setup (17" MBP, 24" Cinema display) nets me two 1920 x 1200 screens, though only one of them is really useful at a time.

My current Photoshop or Fireworks workspace occupies about 1500px of screen (with however much height is available at the moment). The 27" iMac means I would have a spare 1000px to have a browser with a full-width Web page open for reference, or possibly my coding environment (usually Textmate or Coda), for which 1000px would definitely be sufficient.

This side-by-side workspace would mean massively efficient flow. Combine that with the intense specs of the iMac (quad-core processor & boatloads of RAM, anyone?), and you have the ultimate designer machine. Also: The 27" will handle DisplayPort input as well as output, allowing it to double as an external display for yet another computer, in a pinch.

Now, where did I put my credit card?

TUAW may have had the date wrong (we guessed October 9, 2009), but the new iMacs we were looking for finally showed up today. The 20" and 24" models are gone, replaced by 21.5" and 27" iMacs with a true 16 x 9 HD aspect ratio. It's also obvious that Apple intends for the new iMacs to end up on the desktops of a lot of designers, since the line now includes the first quad-core iMac ever.

The pricing for the iMac line starts at the same US$1199, but that's where the similarities stop. The displays are now backlit by LEDs, providing better energy efficiency. The 21.5" model has a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which is the equivalent of a 1080p HDTV. That screen size is actually 90% of the resolution of the old 24" iMac. Resolution on the 27" model is 2560 x 1440 pixels. Both of the new iMacs use the IPS display technology for excellent color fidelity and a very wide (178°) viewing angle.

For the first time, iMacs now have an SD card slot located below the optical drive slot on the right side of the computer. The systems will ship with Apple's new wireless keyboard and Magic Mouse, or you can get wired models as a configure-to-order option at no extra cost.

All of the new iMacs can be loaded with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 2 TB of storage. The new low-end model, at US$1199, is running a blazing-fast 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor and comes with 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard drive, and an Nvidia GeForce 9400M video card. The US$1499 model of the 21.5" iMac bumps storage up to 1TB and upgrades video to a Radeon HD 4670 card. The US$1699 27" model has the same features as the US$1499 21.5", but of course has the 27" display.

At the high end of the line will be an iMac that won't be released until next month -- a $1999 27" that is powered by a 2.66GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core processor. That model also has a Radeon HD 4850 video card built in. If you wish, you can swap out the Core i5 chip for the even more powerful Core i7 processor.

The Core i5 is based on the Linfield processor, which is part of the same Nehalem family found in the existing Mac Pro line. The Core i5 features a turbo mode, which means that the chip can shift from a slower clock speed with four cores to a faster mode with two cores active. The turbo mode speed of the Core i5 processor is 3.2 GHz, while the turbo mode speed of the i7 is a whopping 3.46 GHz.

What's really incredible is a new feature for the iMacs 27" models that allows them to act as external monitors or HDTVs. You'll be able to attach DVD players, Blu-Ray players, gaming consoles, or even other computers, and display them on the bright, clear, iMac display. Update: The 27" will handle DisplayPort-based input, with adapters to be announced. The 21.5" model will not support video input, based on the spec page.

The last iMacs were released in March of 2009, with a 20" model powered by a 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo available at US$1199, and 24" models with 2.66, 2.93, and 3.06 GHz processors at US$1499, US$1799, and US$2199.

Engadget is the latest to report a rumor that's been circulating for months: tomorrow may be the day that we finally see those new Macs we've been waiting on. John Gruber claims we're going to see new MacBooks and iMacs (which we'll rate as "expected"), updated Mac minis (wouldn't be a huge surprise, though we haven't heard that so much about that one, particularly not a mini bundled with Mac OS X Server -- a very nice idea, though), and something called a "Magic Mouse," as well as a multitouch trackpad accessory. I have to admit: those last two sound less likely than the iPod touch camera -- while the new MacBooks and iMacs definitely wouldn't be out of place before a holiday season, breaking out brand new accessories without an event to back them up isn't really Apple's style.

But then again, ours is not to judge: the rumors say new mice and some sort of multitouch trackpad, so that's what we're passing on to you. Believe it or not, as you will. We'll of course be up and refreshing Apple's store constantly here at TUAW -- if anything new shows up there, you'll see it here ASAP.

Our sharp-eyed iPhone goddess, Erica Sadun, alerted us to the fact that there's a small, but potentially important, update that has just shown up in Software Update.

Performance Update 1.0 "addresses intermittent hard drive-related stalls reported by a small number of customers." It may not show up for you, unless you have one of the following Macs:

MacBook Air (Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53GHz, Mid 2009), iMac (20-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008), MacBook Air (Late 2008), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008), iMac (24-inch, Early 2009), iMac (20-inch, Early 2009), Mac mini (Early 2009)

If you own one of these models, be sure to load the update at your earliest convenience, especially if you have experienced the problem described in the update notes.

Thanks to Erica and to Joachim Bean, who provided the link to the Apple KB article.

As we and others have posted over the past few days, there is a rumor that a new or redesigned iMac, Mac mini and MacBook models are coming very soon. Now, this week brings reports of Google ads supposedly touting the rumored Mac mini, iMac and MacBook models. These ads have been spotted in several European countries, in Dutch and in a few other languages. They read as follows:


"Apple's Nieuwste MacBook®"
"store.apple.com/nl/macbook Dunner, lichter en krachtiger! Gratis bezorging. Bestel vandaag."


Which translates to:
"Apple's Newest MacBook ®"
"store.apple.com/nl/macbook Thinner, lighter and stronger! Free delivery. Order today. "



"Apple Store: New iMac"
"store.apple.com/nl-store Ultradunne 20 & 24 inch modellen. Vanaf slechts €1099. Apple Store"


Which translates to:
"Apple Store: New iMac"
"store.apple.com/nl-store Ultra thin 20 & 24 inch models. From only € 1099. Apple Store"



"Apple's Nieuwe Mac mini"
store.apple.com/nl-store Sneller en betaalbaarder dan ooit. Vanaf slechts €499. Bestel meeten."


Which translates to:
"Apple's new Mac mini '
store.apple.com/nl-store faster and more affordable than ever. From only € 499. Buy assay. "

Again, this points to yet more reasons why there could be new iMac, Mac mini and MacBook models coming soon. These new models are expected to be released before October 9th, so keep a look out.

[via AppleInsider]