[notabadname]

The one feature that may redeem the lack of blu-ray is the "bi-directional' mini-display port. It is not clear by Apple or HDMI to mini display port adaptor-manufacturers, if the beautiful new iMac's screen will be able to be used by external Blu-ray drives, game consoles and cable boxes outputting 1080p signals. If you can hook up your home HDMI outputs to the iMac to use it as a monitor, then all will be generally good (although not optimum). We wont really know for sure how this will all be implemented until January. I don't care as much about Blu-ray writing being built in as I do reading movies and other blu-ray media. However, it is safe to assume that if Apple offered built in BR burners, then they would also update Final Cut Studio to support authoring BR. That I do care about. Read technology wont really change much, but write technology/speed will continue to improve significantly over the next 5 years. So buying an external burner is really wiser and cheaper than buying an internal BR burner. And I believe almost every other manufacturer now offers built-in blu-ray read-only options on at least their desktops (many also on some laptops)

I just know I would like to have a quad-core 27inch iMac in my office, which is in my Master Bedroom, and be able to use it to play Blu-rays for entertainment as well as sticking a tuner option on it for viewing cable HD channels. Basically an all-in-one. I have already played with the new iMac and Magic Mouse for hours. It is sweet, and the display is truly stunning. Vivid, crisp and clear. Love the pixel density. And the mouse is Awesome. The first mouse I may allow to replace my trackball. It is truly a beautiful little piece of technology. Great feel and wight. Responsive and simple cool in the way that only Apple makes "cool". It was fun to watch people come into the Boston Apple Store (2nd largest in world) and go "ga-ga" over the iMac's, screens and mouse. Lots of "no way" . . . "that is too cool". This store gets massive traffic, and everyone was visibly impressed.