MacBook leads trio of new Apple arrivals

Apple has updated its MacBook and iMac lines and introduced an all-new multi-touch mouse.

Leading the way is a new entry-level 13in MacBook, inheriting the polycarbonate unibody design, LED backlit display and glass multi-touch trackpad from higher up the range.

The new iMacs come in 21.5in and 27in flavours, also featuring LED backlit displays and coming with upgraded Intel processors.

MacBook significance

This latest tweak to the MacBook range shows its continued significance to Apple, with scarcely a product announcement going by without a new arrival or update. The company has made significant inroads particularly at the affordable end of the market, and with a price point starting at 799 it's clearly hoping to continue that momentum.

The improvements continue on the inside too, with a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor sitting alongside 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and Nvidia's GeForce 9400M integrated graphics. It also now comes with Apple's built-in seven-hour battery, but as before is available in the company's signature all-white.

In announcing the new arrivals, Apple vice-president Phil Schiller said: "With the only lineup of notebooks all featuring unibody enclosures, LED-backlit displays and long-life battery technology, there's never been a better time to switch to a Mac."

Upgraded iMacs

Both new iMacs feature 16:9 LED backlit displays, an aluminium body and Intel's i5 and i7 quad-core processors run the show on the inside. Prices start at 949 for the 21.5in model up to 1,599 for the top-end 27in offering.

All the new iMacs ship with a new mouse, dubbed the Magic Mouse. Taking its cue from Apple's iPhone and MacBook trackpads, the streamlined new mouse has no buttons or scroll wheel, but is the first mouse to support multi-touch finger gestures.

Despite the new iMacs' strong multimedia credentials, there continues to be no sign of a Blu-ray drive finding its way into any Apple hardware in the immediate future.

All the new additions are available now from the Apple Store.