Forget about mobile devices for a moment. Apple on Tuesday updated its iMac lineup just in time for the back-to-school rush. A new 21.5-inch 3.06-GHz Intel Core i3 iMac has a suggested retail price of $1,199.

The latest iMacs come with dual-core Intel Core i3 and i5, and quad-core Core i5 and i7 processors. The processors are equipped with an integrated memory controller to access system memory directly, Apple said.

Evolution of the Mouse

Optional is a new Magic Trackpad, a multi-touch mouse-like device that lets users scroll up and down a page, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with fingers, and swipe three fingers to flip through web pages or photos. The trackpad is made from aluminum and glass and sells for $69.

Michael Gartenberg, a partner at Altimeter Group, said the refresh reminds people that Apple is still in the computer business. He called the timing of the refresh "important" because it gets the 27-inch stuff into the stores before back-to-school purchases are done, so they can tap into both the school and holiday seasons.

"The multi-touch track pad is really interesting," he said. "It's the first step in Apple evolving beyond the mouse, which was really synonymous with Macintosh from day one, in order to enable better multi-touch experiences without having to go to things like a touchscreen."

New Mac Pros

Apple also unveiled a new Mac Pro line with up to 12 processing cores. The new machines feature quad-core and six-core Intel Xeon processors, all-new ATI graphics, and as option for up to four 512GB solid-state drives (SSD). Prices start at $2,500.

"The new Mac Pro is the most powerful and configurable Mac we've ever made," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing. With up to 12 cores, he said, the Mac Pro outperforms Apple's previous top-of-the-line system by up to 50 percent.

Finally, Apple debuted a new 27-inch LED Cinema Display with 2560x1440 resolution and 60 percent more screen real estate than the 24-inch LED Cinema Display. The display offers a built-in iSight video camera, a microphone and speakers, a USB 2.0 hub, and a universal MagSafe connector. Apple is billing it as a companion to the MacBook family.

The new LED Cinema Display also offers an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the display brightness based on external lighting conditions and uses only as much energy as necessary to provide an optimum viewing experience. The display costs $999.

Vista Momentum

Roger Kay, a senior analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, called the update a straightforward refresh, but an important one, considering the momentum Apple has built in the marketplace.

"Apple continues to expand its market share a bit at a time," Kay said. "It's almost as if Microsoft gave Apple an opening with Vista, and even though Windows 7 is much improved, I don't think that has done a lot to change the dynamics. Apple did a lot to establish its brand during the Vista period and they continue to reap the benefits of that."

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