Whenever Apple comes out with a product line-up revision, there is a mixed reaction. On the one hand, you usually get a better bang for your buck, but on the other hand ... you just bought that iPod/Mac/iBook/PowerBook a few weeks ago. Fortunately for me, the Mac Mini hasn't undergone any internal upgrades, though recent iBook purchasers might be a tad upset.

Prepare for a large paste:

The new iBooks are available in two configurations: 1.33GHz/12.1-inch for $999 and 1.42GHz/14.1-inch for $1,299. The 12.1-inch model features a 40GB hard drive and a combo drive, while the 14.1-inch model packs a 60GB hard and an 8x SuperDrive. Eliminated from the line-up, as Think Secret previously reported, was the $1,499 iBook configuration, previously the only model to sport a SuperDrive.

The displays of both iBooks continue to feature native 1024x768 resolutions and are driven by an ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 with 32MB of video memory, not enough to take advantage of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger's new Core Image technologies.

Bluetooth (2.0+EDR) is also now available standard across the iBook line, a first, as well as Apple's scrolling-enabled trackpad and Sudden Motion Sensor, two technologies that debuted earlier this year on PowerBook models.

And here is the Mac Mini:

Mac mini models received a more minor update than the iBook, with the $499/1.25GHz model receiving only the RAM upgrade to 512MB.

The $599/1.42GHz Mac mini gains not only the increased memory but also built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth. A new $699 Mac mini configuration, as expected, adds a 4x SuperDrive to the mix.

Of note, while both the $599 and $699 configurations ship with the AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth card installed, the 56K modem has been removed from each but remains a build-to-order option. The $499 Mac mini continues to include the 56K modem.

Phew. Recent Mac Mini purchases need not worry -- you haven't been ripped a new one. The next Mac Mini incarnation will probably feature upgraded video, though.

Article Link: Apple delivers iBook, Mac mini updates

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