Apple unveils latest iBooks and OS

Apple has unveiled several new versions of its colourful iBook laptop range and announced the availability of a public beta version of its next operating system, OS X.

Opening the Paris Apple Expo show this morning, chief executive Steve Jobs revealed the addition of a trio of new colours and specs for the new iBook laptops, all of which will feature the company's iMovie2 video-editing software.

Jobs also said that the public beta of Apple's new OS X operating system is available through the company's online store (applestore.com), priced at $29.95.

The iBook debutantes are an indigo-coloured version of the iBook and a graphite-coloured version of the iBook Special Edition. Both are also available in 'key lime' from Apple's online store only.

Indigo iBook has an estimated price of $1499. The laptop has a 366Mhz PowerPC G3 processor, 64Mb SDram, 256k level 2 cache, 10Gb IDE hard drive, 24x-speed CDRom drive, USB and Firewire ports, a built-in 56K modem 10/100BASE-T ethernet and iMovie 2.

Meanwhile, Graphite iBook Special Edition has an estimated price of $1799. It boasts a 466Mhz Power PC G3 processor, with 64Mb of SDRam, 256K level 2 cache, a 10Gb IDE hard drive, 6x-speed DVDRom drive, USB and Firewire ports, internal 56K modem, 10/100BASE-T ethernet and iMovie 2.

"iBook has been a big hit with consumers, students and educators, and the addition of portable digital video editing with Firewire and iMovie2 makes it even better," said Jobs. "Anyone can now own a portable movie studio for just $1499."

He also announced that the Radeon graphics accelerator card would be a build-to-order option for all Apple's G4 and Power Mac G4 Cube systems ordered through the online site, adding $100 to the sale price.