Apple Computer refreshed its line of eMac computers on Tuesday, upgrading their processing power and graphics performance, and offering a new low-end model.
Apple also added support for 802.11g wireless, or what the company calls AirPort Extreme. The "g" class transfers data at 54 megabits per second--fast enough to move video over the air--compared with 802.11b's maximum transfer rate of 11mbps. The revamped eMacs mark Apple's second move of an entire product line to AirPort Extreme. New Power Macs launched in late January also support AirPort Extreme across the line. Apple debuted the technology in January on new PowerBooks and added it to flat-panel iMacs in February, but the faster wireless is not available on all models.
Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of hardware product marketing, said that AirPort Extreme will become "more common" on Macs, "but not everywhere." He described the reasons as "architectural," adding that "we'll be making the transition over the next year or so." AirPort Extreme is a $99 option on all new eMacs. The eMac, which is designed for the education market, is Apple's last computer built around a cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor. Apple's other Mac lines use slimmer, flat-panel monitors. In March, Apple pulled the plug on the original iMac, the company's other computer built around a CRT.
Prices remain unchanged for the two basic eMac models. The $999 eMac comes with an 800MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 128MB of SDRAM, a 60GB hard drive, a CD-rewritable/DVD combo drive, a 32MB ATI Technologies' 7500 graphics accelerator, 56kbps modem, 10/100 networking USB 1.1 and FireWire ports, and Mac OS X 10.2.5. The computer also features Apple's iLife digital media suite, Quicken 2003 and Word Book 2003.
News source: C|net
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