The iMac meets Star Wars

In January, Apple Computer Inc. CEO Steve Jobs debuted a drastically redesigned iMac, the popular desktop computer that brought the company back from the brink of extinction in 1998. The new iMac looks like a computer crossed with a droid from the Star Wars movies, with a moveable arm that connects

Inside the new iMac, a PowerPC G4 processor hums along at either 700 or 800 MHz. The unit features 128 megabytes of memory that can be upgraded to a gigabyte.

Like the original iMac, the newest version does not feature a 3.5-inch floppy drive. Rather, the iMac is loaded with a CD-rewritable drive at the low end and a SuperDrive DVD recorder and CD-rewritable drive combined-at the high end.

The little unit comes packed with either a 40gigabyte or 60-gigabyte hard drive.

The most basic design of the epically reworked computer sells for $1,299. An iMac with all the perks is out the door for $1,799. And, Apple doesn't want buyers to forget about the previous generation of iMacs. The already inexpensive machines now retail for $799 and up.

-Joshua Dean