Product Description

More than ever before, iMac allows you to live a digital life. Loaded with iLife, the new iMac makes it easy to turn your photos, movies, and music into blogs, podcasts, books, and calendars. All the other essentials are built in as well, including an iSight camera, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Just plug it in, turn it on, and you're ready to create something great. Display 24-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, 1920 by 1200 pixels, millions of colors Video - Built-in iSight; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, and composite video connections via adapter Graphics ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB of GDDR3 memory FireWire One FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 port; 7 watts each ; USB Three USB 2.0 ports on computer; two USB 2.0 ports on keyboard Built-in stereo speakers with 24-watt digital amplifier, built-in microphone, optical digital audio output/headphone out, optical digital audio; input/audio line in Ethernet Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit) Wireless Built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n ; built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module Hardware accessories Apple Remote, Apple Keyboard, and Mighty Mouse; Built-in IR receiver Your iMac comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three full years. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-certified technicians using genuine Apple parts

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #765 in Personal Computers
• Brand: Apple
• Model: MA878LL/A
• Released on: 2007-08-07
• Dimensions: 43.00 pounds
• CPU: Intel Core Duo 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 1000MB DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 320GB
• Processors: 2

Features

• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo running Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard
• 1 GB DDR SDRAM, 320 GB SATA hard drive, SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• 24-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, 1920 by 1200 pixels, millions of colors
• FireWire 400, FireWire 800 port, three USB 2.0 ports on computer, two USB 2.0 ports on keyboard, built-in iSight, mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, and S-video
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit), built-in AirPort Extreme (802.11n); built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module

Amazon.com Product Description
Redefining Apple's signature all-in-one desktop PC, the newly redesigned iMac now sports a sleek, professional aluminum enclosure that's joined precisely to a 24-inch glass cover to create a virtually seamless front surface. It also features new ultra-thin aluminum Apple Keyboard--with an extended layout and dedicated keys for Mac features such as brightness, volume, eject, play/pause, and Exposé--as well as the wired Mighty Mouse. The iMac is preloaded with Apple's latest suite of digital media applications--iLife '08--and also comes with the Apple Remote and Front Row media display software, which enables you to easily play your music, enjoy photo slideshows, and watch DVDs, iMovies, music videos and television shows from across the room.

It's powered by a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor from the newest "Santa Rosa" chips, which offer a top-of-the-line 800 MHz front-side bus speed and a huge 4 MB L2 cache. This 24-inch iMac also features a 320 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM (with a 4 GB maximum capacity), 8x SuperDrive for burning movies to DVD and music mixes to CD, integrated 802.11n wireless LAN, Gigabit Ethernet wired networking, Bluetooth connectivity, ATI Radeon HD 2600 video card with 256 MB dedicated memory, and the Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard operating system.

The iMac, Transformed

Redesigned with a recyclable anodized aluminum frame and glass cover, the iMac is friendlier to the environment..

The new keyboard's ultrathin anodized aluminum enclosure features low-profile keys that provide a crisp, responsive feel.

The its anodized aluminum frame and glass cover, the new iMac instantly transforms your workspace from cluttered desktop to brilliant display podium. Because it's made from a single sheet of aluminum, you won't see any seams or screws except for a single compartment on the bottom that provides easy access to the memory slots. The glossy widescreen 20-inch display makes photos and movies come alive with rich color. And the built-in iSight camera and microphone are integrated so neatly you barely notice they're there. Aside from the design details, the iMac is also friendlier to the environment with highly recyclable and durable materials including scratch-resistant glass and professional grade aluminum. The power-efficient iMac also meets the stringent new Energy Star 4.0 requirements.

With its elegant anodized aluminum enclosure, the new Apple Keyboard looks equally at home in your living room or on your desk. Just connect it to the USB port on your iMac and start enjoying the crisp, responsive feel of its low-profile keys. The extended layout has a full complement of keys, including document navigation controls, a numeric keypad, and special function keys for Mac features such as brightness, volume, eject, play/pause, Exposé, and more. Two USB 2.0 ports provide high-speed connectivity for your iPod, Mighty Mouse, digital camera, and other USB-based electronic devices.

Preinstalled with iLife '08
Every iMac includes iLife '08, the latest version of Apple's award-winning suite of digital media applications, with major upgrades to iPhoto, iDVD, iWeb, and GarageBand and a completely reinvented iMovie. iPhoto '08 now automatically organizes photo libraries into Events that let you more easily manage your growing photo collections, and iMovie '08 can import video from the latest AVCHD, HDV and DV camcorders, as well as from digital cameras, and displays your entire video library whether it's stored on internal or external drives. Both iPhoto and iMovie integrate seamlessly with the new .Mac Web Gallery, Apple's new service for .Mac members to instantly create and host websites for their photos and videos.

The pre-installed iLife '08 software suite includes a completely redesigned iMovie, which makes it even easier to share your videos on the Internet.

iLife '08 also features iWeb '08, with live web widgets such as Google Maps that let you create even more dynamic websites, and GarageBand '08, with its new Magic GarageBand feature that makes it fun and easy for both musicians and non-musicians to create great sounding songs.

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
It's powered by the 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor from the newest "Santa Rosa" chips, which offer a top-of-the-line 800 MHz front-side bus speed and 4 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.) With such a substantial L2 cache, data instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently.

The Intel Core 2 Duo's 128-bit SSE3 vector engine handles 128-bit computations in a single clock cycle, accelerating data manipulation by simultaneously applying a single instruction to multiple data. And its two execution cores are designed to share resources and conserve power, helping it to achieve higher levels of performance since it uses fewer watts.

Graphics and Video
The 24-inch TFT active-matrix LCD offers a panoramic resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels--30 percent more screen real estate than the 20-inch model. It has a brightness rating of 380 nits, a contrast ratio of 750:1, and a viewing angle of 178 degrees (both horizontal and vertical). An ATI Radeon HD 2600 graphics processor powers the iMac with 256 MB of dedicated GDDR3 memory. It features some of the most advanced graphics technology available and delivers new levels of visual realism and a huge texture fill rate for smooth surfaces and complex character details. GDDR3 (Graphics Double Data Rate, version 3) is a graphics card-specific memory technology that's better able to deliver fluid frame rates for even the most advanced games and applications.

This iMac also enables you to connect a second display in either extended desktop mode or video mirroring mode. The mini-DVI port connects to DVI displays, VGA monitors and projectors, and S-video and composite devices using the appropriate adapter (sold separately).

Wired and Wireless Connectivity

You get a full complement of ports on the back of the iMac, including three USB 2.0 and two flavors of FireWire--400 and 800.

The iMac gives you plenty of room to grow, accommodating as many as five peripherals at a time thanks to its three USB 2.0 ports and the two USB 2.0 ports on the Apple Keyboard. It also includes two powered FireWire ports--one FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 (one of the fastest peripheral standards available)--enabling you to quickly transfer content from digital video cameras, hard drives, and other high-speed devices.

Share files around your house with built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet as well as the next-generation high-speed wireless 802.11n technology, which is integrated into the latest Apple Airport Extreme Base Station. The iMac is also Wi-Fi Certified to work with base stations and routers that use industry-standard 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g wireless technologies.

The integrated Bluetooth wireless connectivity--version 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)--allows you to use a wireless keyboard or mouse, and synchronize peripherals such as cell phones and PDAs. Enjoy high-quality sound on almost any speaker system with double-duty analog/digital audio. Record digital and analog sources through audio line in, perfect for your latest podcast in GarageBand.

SuperDrive
Integrated neatly into the iMac is a slot-loading SuperDrive that lets you play and burn your own CDs and DVDs--including double-layer DVDs. And there's no disc tray--just slide the disc right in. It offers the following speeds:

• Writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 4x speed
• Writes DVD-R and DVD+R discs at up to 8x speed
• Writes DVD-RW at up to 6x speed and DVD+RW discs at up to 8x speed
• Reads DVDs at up to 8x speed
• Writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed
• Writes CD-RW discs at up to 16x speed
• Reads CDs at up to 24x speed

Other Features

• Two SO-DIMM slots support up to 4 GB of RAM
• Built-in stereo speakers with internal 24-watt digital amplifier
• Support for external display in extended desktop mode: 1920 by 1200 pixels for digital and 2048 by 1536 pixels for analog
• Meets ENERGY STAR requirements with maximum continuous power rating of 200 watts
• Dimensions: 20.5 x 22.4 x 8.1 inches (WxHxD)

Included Software
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard operating system (includes Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat AV, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Xcode Developer Tools); iLife '08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand); Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Test Drive; iWork (30-day trial); and Front Row

What's in the Box
iMac, Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse, Apple Remote, cleaning cloth, power cord, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentation

Customer Reviews

Very easy to ajust to an imac!
This is my second imac since Jan of 2007. No my first did not break down,it's still going strong. I bought this one for myself and let my lady friend have my first one. We were both so impressed with the iMac that I wanted her to have one also.
At first I wasn't sure about the switch from my pc,but the more I use the imac the more I like it. I still have a few things to learn about it. imacs just are more stable than any pc I have had.
I have switched to a wireless Logitech keyboard and mouse,just can't get the hang of the mac mouse.
The only problem i've had so far is finding as much software as pc's have.How ever if you want to install windows on your imac it can run both operating systems. The programs that came installed on my imac work excellent and are very well advanced for photography(which is my main hobby) It is so nice to not have all those wires hanging all over the desk and I think it is the best looking monitor on the market.
If you are in doubt about switching to a Mac from a pc,take my word for it very easy. If I did it almost any one can. I am retired and have very little computer knowledge.

Amazing deal for the price..
EDIT: Please note that I wrote this review very soon after these models came out to market. Some parts of this review are "outdated"..

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I have upgraded from 20'' iMac (previous generation) and this is simply stunning in every way. I personally have not found any problems with it yet and my experience has been phenomenal. There are few little things to consider when buying this Mac.

First of all, the verison I have comes with Intel Core 2 Extreme (I ordered the system from Apple). If you ARE planning on buying the version with Core 2 Extreme please know that it is a DUO chipset not QUAD. It has 2 cores, not 4. The difference in speed is only notable in certain applications such as games and advanced 3D apps.

This iMac is beautiful visually. The "skin" really suits the system well. The black Apple logo in front and on the back make it look more stylish than it is. The iSight camera is barely visible (which is a good thing for some folks). The computer is packaged in virtually the same box as previous iMacs except with different picture on the box.

The new keyboard I do not use.. I prefer my Logitech diNovo Edge(tm) which fits beautifully with this iMac. The mighty mouse is great, I have the wireless version and it tracks very smoothly. I don't have any cons with that.

The screen.. wow, 24 inches! It's big, probably bigger than many people need but.. boy.. is this a work of art! Watching a movie on this amazing display is an experience I haven't had before. The only con I found here is that you wouldn't want to put this in a very bright place or near a window. It is a glossy screen and while it adds style to the Mac it will turn the computer into a mirror if the environment you are working in is too bright.
Apple remote and Front Row are all the same. Very simple, elegant and just work. I don't use Front Row but for Front Row lovers this iMac is heaven! This IS the place where you'll want to watch your movies and photo slideshows on.

As I mentioned above, all iMacs are DUO. This version (Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz) is FAST. Add an extra gig of RAM and you'll be flying in your iLife. Very good processor, I recommend Core 2 Extreme for advanced users. Don't get me wrong, 1GB is perfectly fine if all you're planning to do is work with iLife and Internet. However for the other applications such as Photoshop you'll need more RAM. Let's remember that the resolution on this thing is 1920x1200 and to run certain applications in full screen you'll need the horsepower.

Just like before an iMac is NOT a gaming machine. The graphics on this computer while are not bad, (256MB Radeon 2600 HD Pro), are still not good enough for "hardcore" gamers, even with Core 2 Extreme processor. There are good news, however! If you install Bootcamp on this Mac and put Vista on it you'll have full DirectX 10 support. Still.. if you're looking for hardcore gaming look somewhere else. For casual gamers like myself this will be more than enough.

Speaking of Bootcamp.. I don't think that the current drivers support the new iMacs as of yet. There will be a coming update for the beta and hopefully the new drivers will be included.

Another problem with Bootcamp is that you cannot install any 64-bit Windows versions, which is a disappointment since Core 2 architecture is 64-bit. Maybe they will fix it later? I don't know. I certainly hope so because when you pay for 4GB of RAM you want to be able to use all of it, not just 3GB.

iLife '08.. Great pack of applications which come with this Mac for free. Honestly.. there are some problems with the suite (minor issues) but I am sure they will be fixed with a future update from Apple. I do, however, believe that this suite was designed for this Mac.. everything is extremely fast.

Overall, I strongly believe that this is an amazing deal. You get a better computer for $200 less than the previous model. If you would like a more advanced iMac with more HD space and faster processor then head over to Apple and pick one there.

P/S. This goes to the reviewer who is not happy with the new design. The reason Apple chose aluminum design is because they want their computers to match the operating system visually. For example, the white finder bar and blue Aqua wallpaper in versions of Mac OS X Jaguar, Panther and Tiger look great on the white iMac.

Mac OS X Leopard will be coming out in October and will not have the same desktop. A transparent finder bar, reflective dock and a green leaves wallpaper by default make it look more appealing on the aluminum version of this computer. Let's not forget that the entire Leopard OS looks as if it's made out of aluminum. The new Finder, the new looks of Control Panel applications and others make it look as a metal design. Maybe this is THE reason why Apple has the aluminum theme on their website? ;)

Personally, I like the new metal look. It makes everything look very stylish and when Leopard comes out, the "desktop experience" will certainly be phenomenal.

One Amazing Computer...
I'm new to Apple and am switching over from PCs. I recently got reeled in with their iPhone and their iPod, and then now this iMac - it really surprised me. I had to have one. So I bought this 24" 2.4 Ghz and bought an additional 1 GB of ram before leaving the apple store.

I installed the extra ram (very easy) before I even powered up the computer for the first time. This is quite simply the coolest computer I've ever owned. The sleek, ergonomic design really simplifies your computing.

I no longer have to worry about accidentally ramming my knee into the PC tower under my desk. No more fumbling under my desk on my knees with usb and connection cables. Everything is accessible on your desktop (literally!). The screen is bright and glossy, and the keyboard is so low to the desktop, it literally changes your whole typing experience.

I am running Windows XP Pro on the Parallels Virtual Machine on this iMac so that I can have access to my Windows-based applications as well. (Word of caution: If you're planning to do this, you must supply the full, genuine copy of XP yourself; it does not come bundled with the iMac. Also you will have to run antivirus and anti-spyware software plus a firewall for the Windows part of your configuration just as you normally do in Windows).

So with the ability to run Windows, you can get the best of both worlds. So there's really no reason at all for anyone not to buy this iMac; on o,ne hand, I'm kicking myself for not switching sooner. But on the other hand, this iMac - especially with its new sleek design and its ability to run Windows - is easily the best iMac they've put out to date.