When Apple released the new slimmer iMac you only had two storage options, the 1TB standard HDD, or a 1TB Fusion drive. However, some customers were complaining to Apple that this limited their options, which is why they have now resolved the issue.

There are now 2 new iMac SSD options giving you a choice of a 256GB or 512GB SSD, along with the other two options above. If you are in no need to have a huge amount of storage space, then this is a quick way to increase the speed of your iMac.

These new options are for the 21-inch iMac, as the 27-inch model has far more storage options, although it will get those two and an extra option, but it’s the price increase of these new solid-state drives that has shocked us a little.

Apple’s new iMac for May, 2013 price for these SSD options is $300 extra for the 256GB model, $600 for the 512GB and $900 extra over the standard 1TB hard drive. That’s a huge amount of money to pay for such an upgrade. I own an iMac, and it does what it needs to do, but I am under no illusion that this price hike for these new storage options is way over the top.

It’s hard to get angry when you see these ludicrous prices because it’s so comical, as Apple has the audacity to charge their customers this – yes I am one of them, but never opt for their upgrade options. What makes me laugh even more is the fact that you can pick up a 256GB SSD for around $135, which means Apple gets to pocket the rest, as well as keep the standard hard rive that would have come with your iMac.

Before we start delving into specs we thought we would talk a little about software. Apple recently pushed out a developer preview of Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion which boasts over 100 new features (when compared to Snow Leopard) and blurs the lines which currently separate Apple’s desktop operating system from iOS. Mountain Lion is said to hit the Mac App Store sometime this summer, therefore we could well see the 2012 iMac arrive with this OS version pre-installed – software innovation is all well and good, but to convince people to part with their hard-earned cash Apple will have to offer some pretty impressive hardware specs.

So let’s have a look at what’s currently offered. Currently there are four base iMac models which fall into two main categories, 21.5-inch and 27-inch. We expect the same form-factors this time around, perhaps with slightly thinner dimensions, but beneath the hood there should be plenty of mouthwatering changes in specifications.

As you probably already know there’s plenty of upgrade options in regards to internal hardware, so we expect this next time around, but one thing that we can pretty much guarantee is that the Sandy Bridge Intel Core processor offerings will be replaced with Intel’s new Ivy Bridge microarchitecture. These chips boast plenty of improvements, mainly thanks to the innovative new 3-D Tri-Gate transistors which are utilized, and when you compare Sandy Bridge side-by-side with Ivy Bridge the latter should deliver unprecedented performance improvements and low power consumption – you can see more details in regards to the new Ivy Bridge platform over at Wikipedia. There are talks of Ivy Bridge delays, if this is the case we expect Apple to perhaps delay the iMac refresh as releasing new Sandy Bridge-based iMac models would be questionable to say the least.

Currently there are plenty of RAM configurations available (4, 8 or 16GB), but no-matter what you choose you’ll get 1333MHz DDR3 memory. This time around we know that the Ivy Bridge platform which the 2012 iMac should be based upon supports 1600Mhz DDR3 memory, therefore we expect Apple to utilize this faster memory – we doubt that Apple will improve on the 16GB memory cap currently offered, in fact we’re not even sure if OS X would truly benefit from more than this.

We’re not going to talk about storage options too much as quite frankly there’s nothing which will really blow your socks off. The issues in the far east have ensured that hard disk drive and solid-state drive prices haven’t fallen a great deal, in fact they might have even gone up, so we won’t be too surprised if Apple decides to stick with hard disk options ranging from 500GB to 2TB, a 256GB SSD option and some options where you get a SSD as your primary drive and a HDD as a storage drive. I don’t know about anyone else but I’d quite welcome a hybrid drive option as well, wouldn’t you?

Perhaps the hardest thing to speculate about is graphics and display changes. Firstly as previously mentioned we think that Apple will stick with the 21.5 and 27-inch options, but some people are also wishing for a new 30-inch variant. Perhaps this time round Apple will bump up the smaller display’s resolution from 1920 x 1080 to 2560 x 1440. As for the 27-inch model we don’t really see much of a need for a higher resolution, but if there is a jump we expect the new iMac to keep the 16:9 aspect ratio, perhaps 3840 x 2160 is a possibility, but we doubt it.

Your guess is as good as ours in regards to specific GPU options, but we think that last year’s Radeon HD 6750M, 6770M and 6970M will be replaced by HD 77xx, HD 78xx and HD 79xx options. You can see a list of new GPUs which Radeon plan to release soon here, as you can see some of these will utilize the PCIe 3.0 socket and offer more advanced power consumption whilst deliver richer-than-ever visuals.

That just about sums up what people really care about in regards to specifications, in terms of ports, technology support, functionality and design we don’t think there will be too many surprises, but with that said Apple certainly like to shock the world – for now we’d love to hear your opinions on the next iMac.

What are your spec expectations for the 2012 iMac? Is there a need for a 30-inch iMac? Are higher display resolutions necessary? Let us know below!

The replacement will be free and affects certain models from May 2011 and July 2011. Apple will contact those of you who registered your iMac via email, but for those who have yet to register theirs then you can use this serial number checker. There are two ways in which you locate your serial number, the first is by checking your receipt or you just go to the Apple logo at the top left select about this Mac and then more info.

Just enter that serial number in and then press submit; after entering mine I was glad to see the message “Our records show that this iMac has a Seagate hard drive, but it’s not affected. No further action on your part is needed at this time.” This has now saved hours of hassle; one because I do not need to backup and second is because I do not have to drive over an hour away to the closest Apple Store.

There are other options available to you, but taking it back yourself has to be the easiest, just remember to set up a Genius Bar appointment first, as you do not want a wasted journey. You are advised get to get your hard drive replaced as soon as possible, but please remember to back up your data before you take it back to Apple.

The replacement program will run from now until July 23, 2011. Even if you have Max OS X Lion installed you will still need to re-install your original OS from the install disc that was provided when you purchased your iMac. Once you have re-installed Leopard you can then proceed to update to Lion once again.

Apple has also said that if need be they might extend the replacement program, it all depends if it will be needed or not. There have been issues with Seagate hard drives in the past, so you have to wonder why Apple keeps supplying them. We also find it confusing why Apple use other brands as well, although if they did not then this recall would have been much more serious?

As we mentioned above there were two main issues with the iMac refresh, and that was a white screen at startup as well as hanging during startup or being unable to wake from sleep. 9 to 5 Mac reports that Apple has warned not to switch of your device during the update, as it might not be able to power back up.

The size of the update is 700KB and is known as version 2. The worrying thing about this is the fact that it seems to be very similar to the problem that 2010 iMac devices displayed last year. We have to wonder why Apple was not able to catch this before they launched the new iMac earlier this year?

There have also been reports that the 2011 MacBook Pro with the i5 processor is also suffering with the same issue. However, this is the first that we have heard of this so would be a great help if our readers would be able to confirm such an issue.

Have you downloaded the update, has it solved both these issues?

The company has been teasing an all-in-one touchscreen desktop PC, with a seemingly similar look to the Apple iMac believed to be the ET2700. From the pictures that have been released the computer has a thin 27” display capable of multi-touch.

It is reported to be the second time this desktop has appeared, the first was back at CeBIT 2011 where Notebook Italia was able to get a closer look at it. In their article they report that the ET2700 has a silver base below the screen with a blue LED lit power button.

As far as technical specs go there is little known unfortunately, maybe we will have to wait until Computex 2011 before we find out more. In the meantime, check out the full article at Notebook Italia where you will find more pictures of the desktop.

Do you think this computer can compete with the Apple iMac?

Obviously Apple are going to push Thunderbolt technology now, however we expect compliant devices to be pretty expensive, whilst PC users will be able to buy more affordable USB 3.0 compatible devices.

A lot of USB 3.0 peripherals will probably be USB 2.0 compliant, but it will be much slower and there will undoubtedly be some devices which will require a USB 3.0 connection to work well. We think that there would have been no harm in Apple giving the new iMacs on or two less USB 2.0 ports and putting a single USB 3.0 port there instead.

To us it looks like Apple have no plans to ever support USB 3.0 on any of their devices, obviously Thunderbolt is a faster and more advanced technology, however for consumer ease it would have made sense not to snub the new USB tech.

Imagine you are working on video project in a few years time and you for some reason need to move large video files from your PC to your Mac at a different location, if you own a USB 3.0 external HDD you will have to endure USB 2.0 speeds when plugged into your Mac . Also if you buy yourself an external HDD which uses Thunderbolt there will be no way to plug it into your PC.

Obviously most Mac users don’t care about PC compatibility and vice versa PC users don’t care about Mac users, but by adding a USB 3.0 port they could have catered for everyone’s needs.

Does the lack of USB 3.0 connectivity put you off the new iMac?

So firstly we have the new CPUs, there is the Intel Core 5 as standard, but if you want something with more punch, then the Core i7 processors are just what you need, as it can be upgraded to the 3.4GHz version. The response from these processors is both fast and smooth, and works like a dream with the new graphics cards.

These new GPUs are the latest that AMD Radeon has to offer, with three models to choose from; AMD Radeon HD 6750M, 6770M and the 6970M. Never before has an iMac felt at home playing games. But for those who are into design, then the power of the GPU and the CPU working together will blow your mind.

Apple is always ones for firsts, and the 2011 iMac is no different. This is the first desktop to offer Thunderbolt I/O technology. When used with a compatible device transfer rates will be far greater than anything you have ever used before. However, this port can also be used for connecting HDMI and VGA.

FaceTime HD Camera is also another new feature, which makes video calling more of a dream than a nightmare thanks to its crisp clear image. There are more updates for the 2011 iMac, so visit Apple for more details.

Are the Apple iMac 2011 changes worth replacing your current mode forl?

As Neil Hughes over on the appleinsider.com website recently noted, Apple saw a 23.7% sequential growth following the iMac refresh last year. Analyst Maynard Um expects a similar increase in sales this year once the newly updated iMac line hits the market.

Tuesday’s iMac update announcement has come at a crucial time for the all-in-on desktop PC, according to a previous appleinsider.com article. Desktops Macs have unfortunately fallen from over 50 percent of Apple’s Mac shipments in 2006, to only 26% in the 2nd fiscal quarter of 2011.

However, Mac desktop PC sales have also seen a boost when the company issues a refresh on its flagship Mac product, the iMac. As announced on Tuesday, the new quad-core iMacs come with the new Thunderbolt high-speed input / output port and Sandy Bridge processors.

Are you thinking of buying a new all-in-one PC? If so, would you consider the new quad-core iMac?

There were four base models for the 2010 range, two 21.5-inch and two 27-inch. The first two came with 3.06GHz Intel Core i3 and a 3.2GHz Intel Core i3 chip, whereas the latter came with 3.2GHz Intel Core i3 and a 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5. The new models still come on four standard types, but there have been changes to the processors. Now you get 2.5GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 and 2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 for the 21-inch model and 2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 and 3.1GHz for the 27-inch versions.

The amount of RAM stays the same, all with 4GB as standard, as do the hard drives as well. There is still a number of big changes, that makes the new range faster, as well as more powerful graphics. The old model had three different types, the ATI Radeon HD 4670, 5670 and the 5750. The 2011 models have the AMD Radeon HD 6750M, 6770M and the 6970M for the top of the line.

The camera has also seen an improvement; the new 2011 iMac now has a FaceTime HD camera. The old model had all the standard connections, but the new iMac shares something in common with the new MacBook Pro, and that is with a ThunderBolt Port.

The best thing though is the price, even with all these upgrades; Apple has decided to leave the prices the same. More details on specs and prices can be seen by visiting the Apple Store.

Are these changes enough to convince you to buy a new 2011 iMac?

Thomas Ricker from Engadget is reporting that we could be getting official confirmation of the iMac refresh from none other than Steve Jobs himself. This is thought to be happening around 8.30 a.m. Eastern Time.

There has been a lot of speculation about the new range of iMacs being released soon. Just over a week ago we had a report claiming that the 2011 range could be released the week beginning May 2nd. So this looks to be what’s happening.

We have speculated before that the next version of the iMacs could be getting the Sandy Bridge processors, and also the Thunderbolt technology. Many of our readers have said they were waiting to see what Apple would do with the range before purchasing an iMac. Maybe we might hear something about the MacBook Air range as well.

What do you hope to see from Apple?