Apple updates iMacs, MacBooks and Minis--and unveils new Magic Mouse

So it's happened: Apple has refreshed its line of Macs once again.  On the menu this time are new MacBooks, including a white one with an updated unibody frame, LED-backlit iMacs in 16:9 ratio, new Mac Minis and an innovative new multitouch mouse.

Thin, white, wireless and classy: the Magic Mouse makes name for itself

Apple's earlier Mighty Mouse didn't exactly win universal approval, so what does this Magic Mouse bring, apart from a radical new look?  Its new design is stunning, and looks miles apart from any of the mice that are currently on sale.  Thin, curvy and sleek, it's quite simply magnificent.  But what we look for most in a mouse is that it's comfortable enough to use all day long, so perhaps it's just too flat?


Apple has got rid of every single button, replacing them with a touch-based interface.  Like the multitouch trackpad found on MacBooks, the Magic Mouse is controlled using your fingers.  There's not a single physical button.  To scroll through a page, for instance, you don't need a scrollwheel: instead you just move your finger up and down the surface of the mouse.  Some applications also support multitouch gestures, meaning you can run two fingers over the surface of the mouse to flip through albums in iTunes, or rotate them to spin photos round.


You can set it up to work either left or right handed use, and can of course adjust the sensitivity.  It comes as standard with all new iMacs, or is available on its own for £55.

16:9 LED iMacs

The new generation of all-in-one iMacs is available with either a 21.5'' or a 27'' display (compared to the 21'' and 24'' versions previously available) and has the same classic aluminium frame.  They're now in widescreen 16:9 ratio and backlit by LEDs.  The 21.5'' version as a 1920 x 1080 pixel display, while the 27'' model has a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels.

Inside is a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and you can also choose optional quad-core versions using Intel's Nehalem i5 and i7 processors.  The smaller version has an Nvidia 9400M graphics card, or an ATI Radeon HD 4670, while the larger version uses an ATI HD 4850.

For the 21.5'' version, you'll need to shell out £949, or £1 349 for the larger 27'' model.

Apple's White MacBook goes lightweight

The new white 13'' MacBook with a 1280 x 800 pixel display has moved over to the unibody frame found on aluminium MacBooks and gains a multitouch trackpad and LED backlighting.  

Just one inch thick and weighing 2.13 kg on the scales, this new version of the classic MacBook has been radically thinned down.  Apple claims it has a battery life of seven hours.  For £799, you get a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB of RAM, a 250 GB hard drive, two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port and integrated graphics from the Nvidia GeFore 9400M.

Your Mac Mini: from £499 ... to £799

Several different options are available for the new Mac Mini, which doesn't change on the outside.  The entry-level model has a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a 160 GB hard drive, five USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, a SuperDrive and integrated graphics from the Nvidia GeFore 9400M.


The £649 version includes a 2.53 GHz processor, 4 GB of RAM and a 320 GB hard drive, with the same set of ports.  Apple also has a £799 especially configured to run Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server.  It has two 500 GB hard drives.

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