Another triumph for Apple, as they unveiled their new iMac with flat panel display, and iPhoto, a consumer image manipulation software for everybody.

Hardware

• Most importantly Apple released the new iMac, or iMac 2, or Luxo iMac featuring a totally new design, G4 processors at 700 and 800MHz, GeForce2 MX graphics with 32MB DDR-SDRAM, 128-256MB RAM, 100MHz system bus, 15" LCD display, CD-RW, Combo or SuperDrive (24x/8x/8x/2x) and the usual connectivity. However the design is only RAM upgradeable, everything else can not be upgraded internally, only replaced.
• Apple also lowered prices on the iBooks and added a new 14" LCD display version of the popular consumer laptop.
• There were no new PowerMacs, or speedbumped PowerMacs to be seen, although everyone had been expecting them.
• ATI released their Radeon 8500 and 7000 graphics cards for the Mac.
• nVidia touted itself having achieved graphics domination on all desktop markets now, including all Apple systems. Their GeForce 4 wasn't ready for release though, but nobody expected that anyway.

Software

• Apple introduced iPhoto, an easy to use photo editing software, fitting into the line of their iApps (iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, and if you like also iTools). It's an OS X app only and allows users to import, edit and print their digital images as easily and as fast as never before. Additionally you can have your images archived and Apple even offers a print service online, even photoalbums can be composed and sent for print at Apple. iPhoto is free, the print service is priced reasonably.
• Most happened on the games front, with several titles announced and released. Civilisation 3 and Black&White were released, while Lineage and Aliens vs. Predator 2 were announced. Additionally Spiderman and Harry Potter: The Sorcerors stone were shown and will ship soon, as well as Return to Castle Wolfenstein. People who have been into Macintosh gaming have generally agreed that the announcements made and the future projects of MacPlay and other companies speak for an incredibly rich year for Macintosh gamers, especially paired with the new iMac, which is the first iMac to really match the performance of the more expensive PowerMacs in terms of gaming.
• Hundreds of other companies also announced and released new software for Mac OS X, including Adobe and Microsoft who plan to bring out all their software for Mac OS X in the near future. After Effects was released, InDesign is coming soon, and Photoshop will be coming around March. Windows Media Player was released.

I'm sure I missed a lot of minor details of the announcements made, but the general overview is given by this ultra-compact wrap-up. For more details see the archives from January 7,8 and 12.