It only seems like yesterday but it is actually 10 years since Apple CEO unveiled the groundbreaking Apple iMac Australia.

On August 15, 1998 Apple transformed how people saw computers with the release of their all in one, bubble-shaped iMac, changing the face of the computer hardware world forever. This was the first machine to encompass all working parts into one desktop, and even though the puck mouse didn’t exactly set the world on fire, the idealism lives on. 

The iMac received nearly 150,000 pre orders, making it the fastest-selling Mac ever and a staple computer in schools and homes across the globe. Plus with the latest incarnation even more stylish than ever, I think it’s pretty safe to say the iMac will still be with us in another 10 years.

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A recent demonstration by the US firm Golden Shellback shows how their plastic coating will allow you to take your Apple iPhone Australia surfing with you, or even use it in the bath without the usual nightmare consequences (which include electrotherapy and arguments with your bank manager!)

The plastic coating is applied with a vacuum which completely covers not only the external surface, but also all the internal components. The coating also doesn’t conduct electricity, so no chips and circuits will be damaged when they come in contact with water.

Check out this amazing video to see the results for yourself -

This clear plastic coating could spell the end for water-damaged electrical equipment, though the company is also quick to claim that any device cannot be completely waterproofed without a proper case.

Personally, I’m a lot more at ease with my electrical equipment out of water than in it!

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Speculation is rife that the next generation of Apple iPhone in Australia, due to be unveiled in December, will be a ‘nano’ version of the hugely successful handset.

Industry source’s are claiming Apple will launch the new mini iPhone in time for Christmas and will reportedly be available for pay-as-you-go customers. The latest 3G incarnation of the iPhone has been the world’s fastest selling mobile phone ever, with some retailers up 81 per cent in sales compared to the same quarter last year.

With this sharp pick-up in subscription connections off the back of the iPhone 3G launch, most retailers would welcome another Apple release in time for the Christmas rush, as I’m sure consumers would. With the second-generation iPhone more business ready, the handset is not just a fashion accessory but also ready to take on the might of the Blackberry.

But with a smaller handset, questions will be raised about what Apple will have to cut back on to encompass all the features into a smaller package. Rumours suggest the iPhone ‘nano’ will feature a touchwheel for dialing on the back with a full screen on the front, though I’m sure with Apple’s eye for design whatever the finished product is, it will be spectacular.

> > click here to shop online with Apple Australia

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Apple Mac Australia saw record sales to send their third quarter earnings soaring this financial year. The company sold a record 2.5 million Macs worldwide, an increase of 41% on the same period last year, with overall profits up 31% to $1.7 billion.

The company posted a growth of 37% on laptop sales alone, with their latest incarnation, the MacBook Air, figuring strongly. Even with the release of the iPhone, the iPod continues to be a big seller for Apple, with sales figures rising by 12% to more than 11 million units sold.

These figures do not include the majority of revenue gained from the 717,000 iPhones sold, due to the new iPhone 3G, it’s software, and many of the new features not being available during this fincancial period.

Apple chief executive, Steve Jobs, said –

‘This is the best June quarter for both revenue and earnings in Apple’s history. We set a new record for Mac sales, we think we have a real winner with our new iPhone 3G and we’re busy finishing several more wonderful new products.’

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Apple has dropped the price on their solid-state hard drive MacBook Air in Australia from AU$4,338 to AU$3,538, a saving of AU$800. Apple has also reduced the price to upgrade the processor from 1.6GHz to 1.8GHz, from AU$430 to AU$270. This discount will be available for both the flash model and the standard hard drive version.

 

With hard-drive failures being one of the more regular problems notebook users experience, the SSD option seems more secure, and with the new discount also makes it more affordable. Flash memory instead of moving parts for data storage is also likely to improve the reliability and stability of the Airbook system.

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Good things come in small packages, and let’s face facts; you don’t get much smaller than the Apple Mac Mini Australia.

This tiny piece of kit comes fitted with a 2GHz Intel Core Duo T2300 processor, 1GB of memory, a 120GB hard drive, an Intel GMA950 graphics card and a dual-layer DVD writer. The chassis itself is still a mere 165mm on each side, with the only discerning difference being a black square on the writer’s slot.

The big difference between the latest mini and the original is the number of ports available.  The latest incarnation features 4 USB ports, a Gigabit Ethernet cable, a Firewire 400 socket, not to mention a DVI-I video connector plus digital in/outs. Quite a jump from the 2 USB ports on the original machine!

If you’re in the market for a quick Apple ‘fix’, or space is your major concern, the Apple Mac Mini is as small, and as smart, as it gets…

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The 24-inch Apple iMac Australia is an all in one desktop which will have businessmen and gamers purring in unison – no mean feat!

It featured Intel’s 3.06Ghz Core 2 Duo processor with 2GB of RAM running at 800MHz RAM, plus a massive 320GB hard drive running at 7,200rpm. What really separates the men from the boys is the 512MB Nvidia GeForce 8800 GS graphics card, which on the 24-inch built in screen should have gamers across the globe drooling…

The brushed aluminium and glass chassis is a design heads dream, whilst the 2inch thick flat screen has a frame rate of 86.3frames per second at a 1,024×768 resolution – perfect for crisp Photoshop-ing and graphically great gameplay. The screen of the iMac is a sleek, self-contained system with all of the ports located on the back, with an integrated dual-layer DVD writer nicely tucked away on the right-hand side of the chassis.

The operating system not only runs OSX but also Windows, making the iMac an attractive proposition for not only current Apple customers, but also for PC users who fancy a look into what us Apple-heads are so addicted to…

> > click here to shop online with Apple Australia

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With the long awaited release of the Apple iPhone Australia imminent, we decided to take a look into some of the phone new features. This little beauty is going to sell by the bucketload, but that could be bad news for the iTouch…The new phone features a plastic back instead of the metal one, which will not only help the GPS system, but also stop the metal from getting scratched. Also, by using plastic it also helps minimise the size of the phone, even if it’s just by a few millimetres.

The phone itself will be available in 8GB and 16GB formats; though don’t be surprised to see a 32GB model available very soon. For some people an iPhone simple doesn’t have the memory to work as an out and out iPod, so I’m sure Apple will deal with this as they did with the iTouch and already have a bigger one in the pipeline.

Ah, the iPod Touch. What exactly will happen to these is slightly unsure as they are almost twice the price of their memory comparative iPhone, without the GPS or phone part. I guess if you’re already happy with your mobile then an iTouch is an option, but I can see a lot of people choosing the iPhone over the iTouch due to it’s ‘all in one’ capacity (I certainly am).

The iPhone’s GPS capabilities allow TomTom-esque turn-by-turn driving directions This is quite a feat for a mobile phone, though the location based social network meaning people can determine EXACTLY where you are, may not go down quite as well…

‘Where are you? Your dinners getting cold.’

‘I’m in the gym’

‘No you’re not, you’re in the pub!’

With the new pricing policy of the 3G iPhone, it looks like it’s going to be a head to head battle with the Blackberry in this summer’s smart phone war. The iPhone has a much bigger screen, multi touch input, and of course the iTunes Store. Plus it’s going to be cheaper than a Blackberry, though the 18 month contract may put off some people.

Another string to Apple’s marketing bow is their latest software – MobileMe. This allows PC users as well as Mac customers to easily sync the iPhones to their desktop computers for keeping their mail and contacts. MobileMe’s web-based applications also look like being the first Apple service that lives up to the high standards of Apple’s traditional desktop software.

The big question is, with the Apple iPhone encompassing so many different Mac products in one package, will the iPhone faze out some of the other Apple gadgets?

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People are literally queuing up to get a first glimpse inside the Apple Australia’s new $15 million Sydney store.

The doors won’t be opened properly to the public until 5pm on Thursday 19th June, but a queue of Mac enthusiasts have already started to form a line outside Apple’s first retail outlet in the southern hemisphere. Among the faithful camped outside are visitors from the US, including Gary Allen from San Francisco, who has now attended 30 store openings.

The ‘Apple-heads’ patiently waiting in line are separated from the store by a large window of glass slabs some 15 metres high - the largest plates of laminated glass in the world. The sourcing of the shop fittings is a real global affair, with different parts of the overall design coming from far and wide. The glass slabs have been flown in from Germany, whilst the stone floor slabs have come all the way from Italy. The stainless steel walls have been specifically imported from Japan, whilst the wooden tables are made from maple trees grown in Pennsylvania.

The store itself is situated on the corner of King Street in Sydney’s Central Business District, and is the second largest Apple Store in the world after the central London store. Apple have also hired 125 local employees to staff the store, with the Sydney branch being the 215th store to be opened globally in the last seven years.

Apple is also planning to open two smaller satellite stores in Australia later this year, in Melbourne’s Chadstone Shopping Centre, and the other in the Sydney suburb of Chatswood.

But don’t worry if you haven’t got the time to queue up outside the new Sydney store(who has?!). You can now shop online in both Australia and New Zealand for all the latest Apple Mac computers and gadgets from the comfort of your own home. Far more sensible!

> > click here to shop online with Apple Australia

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The wait is finally over. The Apple iPhone Australia will be released across the continent on July 11th.

The next-generation 3G iPhone will be available across Australia on prepay plans without a contract when it is released next month, though specific pricing details have not been confirmed. The phone will feature brand new version 2.0 software, including support for Office and iWork, plus language support and parental controls. The new phone is smaller, has a better battery life and is a lot faster than the previous model, with speeds almost on par with WiFi.

The first Australian carriers of the phone, Optus and Vodafone, confirmed the handset would be available on a prepay plan. This will allow customers to buy an iPhone outright and then purchase credit, without having to sign a long term contract. Both carriers have already begun to take customer orders via iPhone online and in retail stories.

Even though Apple sold 6 million iPhones last year, the company feel the price of the previous model had put off a lot of possible customers, me included. It appears that the latest 3G model is almost half the price of the original iPhone, with the U.S. pricing at $US199 ($209.32) for the 8GB model to $US299 ($314.50) for 16GB.

The next-generation 3G Apple iPhone will be released in Australia and 21 other countries on July 11th and will eventually reach 70 countries worldwide.

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