iMac takes on
a new hue
Apple also is cutting prices of
By Blaine Fergerstrom
the translucent computer by $100
Special to the Star-BulletinSAN FRANCISCO -- "And what is your favorite color?" may become a familiar question to consumers buying a new computer.
Apple Computer Inc.'s interim CEO Steve Jobs today unveiled new fruit-colored iMac computers during his keynote address at the MacWorld Expo.
Originally released in "bondi blue," the translucent computers today became available additionally in blueberry, tangerine, lime, strawberry and grape.
Saying that in consumer focus groups, color was revealed to be the most important consideration among prospective computer buyers, Apple decided to give the consumers what they wanted.
Apple also dropped the suggested price by $100 to $1,199, and the new machines have faster 266 megahertz speed and larger 6 gigabyte hard disk capacity.
By Dean Sensui, Star-Bulletin
Temporary worker Craig Edlund hands out posters
featuring the five different iMac colors after
Jobs' keynote address.
Apple has sold about 800,000 iMacs since they hit the market in August, which has helped boost the company's stock. In Nasdaq trading today, the stock hit a 52-week intraday high of $43.94 today before falling back later in the day.At the expo today, Apple also released new G3 Macintosh computers running at up to 400 mhz speeds in a redesigned case. The new design features iMac-like plastics with ease-of-use in mind. A single latch swings open the side of the cabinet unveiling the motherboard and all accessible expansion ports attached to the inside of the door, making for easier troubleshooting and component installation.
Apple showed off the speed of the new G3 Macintosh by testing it alongside a 450 mhz Pentium II computer with all the fastest options available in a Photoshop speed test. In performing dozens of automated steps on identical files on both machines simultaneously, the Mac finished its task about 16 seconds faster than the Windows PC.
Apple also announced a partnership with Silicon Graphics Inc., adopting SGI's OpenGL graphics acceleration standard used extensively by 3-D developers and games.
Coupled with the G3's on-board ATI Rage 128 graphics controller, game developers hailed the machine as among the best gaming platforms available.
Connectix also released Sony Playstation emulation software for the Macintosh that they plan to sell for $49, enabling the Mac to run Sony Playstation games.
MacWorld Expo continues through Friday.
Blaine Fergerstrom is Webmaster of starbulletin.com.
