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Apple today unveiled its first computers based on Intel technology: a new all-in-one iMac, and a new laptop, the MacBook Pro.

At his keynote at this week's Macworld Expo in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the first Macintosh computers based on Intel processors "a little ahead of schedule," and—confounding the ever over-active rumor mill—Intel hasn't just moved inside a laptop, but into Apple's all-in-one iMac as well.

The Intel-based iMacs feature the same screen sizes (17 and 20 inches), form factors, and price points as previous the previous all-in-one flat panel computers, but feature what Apple's calling the Intel Core Duo dual-core processor running at up to 2 GHz, along with a 667 MHz system bus, 512 MB base RAM, a 160 to 250 GB hard disk, an 8x SuperDrive, and PCI Express graphics via an ATI X1600 video controller with 128 MB video memory. As with the most recent iteration of the iMac, the units feature a built-in IR sensor and a remote control, Apple's Front Row media management software, a built-in iSight camera, two FireWire 400 ports, three USB 2.0 powers, integrated Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11g and Bluetooth wireless networking, and built-in stereo speakers. Apple offers two base iMac models priced at $1,299 and $1.699.

The new MacBook Pro notebook system, due in February 2006, replaces Apple's long-aging professional-level PowerBook G4 system, and features a 1.67 or 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo dual-core processor providing four to five times the processor performance of Apple's previous G4 notebooks. The MacBook Pro also features a 15.4-inch widecreen LCD display (driven by an ATI Radeon X600 graphics controller), 512 NB base RAM, a built-in iSight video camera, Apple's Front Row software (controllable via an IR sensor and remote control), an ExpressCard slot, one FireWire 400 and two USB 2.0 ports, an 80 to 120 GB hard disk, a patent-pending MagSafe magnetic power connector to reduce cable hassles, and a slim 1-inch thick, 5.4-pound form factor. Apple will offer two models, priced at $1,999 and $2,499.

One question is what Macintosh software will be available to run on these new Intel-based systems, since, until now, Mac applications haven't targeted Intel processors. The answer: most existing Mac OS X software will run as-is. Apple has ported Mac OS X 10.4.4. entirely to the Intel architecture, and has also reworked its own iLife and iWork applications as Universal Binaries which can run natively on either Intel or PowerPC-based Macintosh systems. Apple says Universal Binary "cross-grades" for its professional applications (like Logic, Final Cut Pro, SoundTrack, and Aperture) will be available for $49 by March, 2006. Microsoft also committed to Universal Binary versions of its Microsoft Office applications for the Mac, as well as to ship Mac Office for a minimum of five years. (Microsoft's Mac Business Unit had its best financial year ever in 2005, and MacBU head Roz Ho indicated Microsoft is "in it for the long term.")

Existing Mac OS X applications can rely on Rosetta, a PowerPC emulation layer which enables most Mac OS X applications to run on the new Intel hardware with acceptable (if not always stunning) levels of performance. Via Rosetta, most existing Mac OS X applications will "just work" on the new Intel-based architecture; however, Mac OS X's Classic environment (which supports applications from Apple's pre-Mac OS X operating systems) is not supported, and Classic applications will not run on Intel-based Macs (nor is it expected they ever will).