2011 iMac Notes: Magic Trackpad Option, Display Connectivity, Boot Camp Update

In the wake of today's release of new iMacs, a number of tidbits about the new models have been surfacing.

105401 imac 2011 mouse trackpad

- Magic Trackpad: While Apple previously allowed customers to add a Magic Trackpad to their iMac orders for an additional charge of $69, the company now offers customers the option of swapping out the included Magic Mouse for a Magic Trackpad at no additional charge.

iMac comes with a wireless keyboard and either a Magic Mouse or a Magic Trackpad - your choice. With Magic Mouse, you get a mouse unlike any other. Its smooth, seamless design lets you control everything with simple gestures. But if you're all gestures all the time, then opt for Magic Trackpad. Its touch-friendly all-glass surface gives you plenty of room to scroll, swipe, pinch, and rotate to your fingers' content. When you purchase your new iMac from the Apple Online Store, you have the option to replace the included Magic Mouse with the Magic Trackpad at no extra cost.

Customers can of course still add the Magic Trackpad for $69 if they wish to have both input devices.

- 27-Inch Model as External Display: Since 2009, the 27-inch iMac has supported use of the machine as a secondary display via the Mini DisplayPort connector. Called "Target Display Mode", the feature allows users significant flexibility in using the machine either on its own or to provide extra screen real estate for other machines when needed.

While we were unable to find explicit mention of support for Target Display Mode on the new iMac product pages, an Apple sales representative has confirmed to us that the new 27-inch models do continue to support the feature through the new Thunderbolt ports.

105402 imac 2011 thunderbolt ports

- Dual External Display Support: Beyond continued support for display input, GigaOM reports that the presence of two Thunderbolt ports on the new 27-inch iMac will allow the machine to drive two external displays for a total of three screens.

One of the most exciting things about today's new iMacs (and the thing that will probably result in me buying one) are the dual Thunderbolt ports on the 27-inch iMac. They're great in that they provide a lot of potential I/O transfer power, but more importantly because it allows the new iMac to output to two external monitors simultaneously, Apple confirmed to me this morning.

- Boot Camp Update: Apple has already pushed out a Boot Camp 3.2 software update for the new iMac, addressing issues with Japanese and Korean keyboards. A similar update was released for Apple's new MacBook Pros early last month.

Boot Camp is Apple's utility for allowing users to natively run versions of Microsoft Windows on their Macs.

Update: Engadget has a hands-on review of the new 27-inch model and has tested hooking it up to two 30-inch Dell displays.

120454 imac 2011 dual external displays

Update 2: Macworld clarifies that the Target Display Mode available on the new 27-inch iMac also requires that the source computer be Thunderbolt-equipped. Only the current MacBook Pro and of course other new iMacs currently meet this description, with other machines offering only Mini DisplayPort and not Thunderbolt unable to send video to the new iMac.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Neutral)
Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
Apple Glass

Apple Smart Glasses: Everything We Know So Far

Wednesday May 21, 2025 8:21 am PDT by
Google made waves yesterday by showcasing a set of lightweight smart glasses featuring deep Gemini integration and an optional in-lens display. The demo has reignited interest in Apple's own smart glasses project, which has been the subject of rumors for nearly a decade. Here's a recap of where things stand. Current Development Status Apple is actively working on new chips specifically...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
WWDC 2025 Banner

Apple Announces WWDC 2025 Schedule, Including Keynote Time

Tuesday May 20, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced a more detailed schedule for its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 9 through June 13. The schedule confirms that Apple's keynote will begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with a live stream to be available on Apple.com, in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube. During the keynote, Apple is expected to announce iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16,...
macOS 16 visionOS Inspired Feature 1

macOS 16: Everything We Know So Far

Tuesday May 20, 2025 7:31 am PDT by
The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple's annual developer and software-oriented event, is less than three weeks away. We haven't heard a great deal about macOS 16 ahead of its announcement this year, so we could be in for some major surprises when June 9 rolls around. Here's what we know so far about the next major update to Apple's Mac operating system. macOS 16 Name? Every year ...
maxresdefault

OpenAI Buys Jony Ive's AI Startup to 'Completely Reimagine What It Means to Use a Computer'

Wednesday May 21, 2025 10:27 am PDT by
OpenAI is acquiring io, the hardware-based AI startup co-created by Jony Ive, OpenAI announced today. Ive has been working with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on io for two years, and the duo expects to develop a family of AI devices. In a video shared by OpenAI, Altman and Ive outlined their partnership and what they expect to create as a result of the merger. "I have a growing sense that everything ...

Top Rated Comments

PeterQVenkman Avatar
183 months ago
Two high end screens from dual thunderbolt on a 27 inch iMac? Wow. That is bad ass.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lesser Evets Avatar
183 months ago
macpro dead in 2 years...my prediction:mad:

We were discussing this a few threads down the front page.

Doubt the MacPro will be dead, but the market for it will shrivel up very badly unless some universal need for extreme processing is manufactured. With current processing speeds and ThunderBolt accessories, an iMac can become a full pro machine for all sorts of jobs that don't need to work titanic piles of data.

This Pro I purchased in early 2007 is still excellent. It will last until 2014 or beyond, and by that point I will probably go with an iMac. Today's iMacs are already faster than this tower in most ways.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
logandzwon Avatar
183 months ago
So, with TB moving across the whole line, how long before we can buy a (Data | Display) splitter for TB so that people using the new systems can use external displays and the data connection at the same time without the PITA of daily chaining? Hope before I buy a new system :/

Personally I'm a huge fan of daisy chaining. Less devices, less cables, less clutter. You just attach each device to the next.

What is it you have an aversion to?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
seek3r Avatar
183 months ago
So, with TB moving across the whole line, how long before we can buy a (Data | Display) splitter for TB so that people using the new systems can use external displays and the data connection at the same time without the PITA of daily chaining? Hope before I buy a new system :/

Still USB 2.0
Meh.
You'll need to wait for Ivy Bridge for USB3, that's when Intel is incorporating it into their chip sets. Did you really expect USB3 with this update? It's not like Apple has been incorporating non-Intel USB3 controllers in any other updated systems... We'll get it when Intel makes Apple get it, and not a moment before :-(
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Northgrove Avatar
183 months ago
Does anything use Thunderbolt yet? Will anything ever?
I've heard about stuff from Pegasus (storage), Promise (storage), Matrox (video), LaCie (storage).

Especially Thunderbolt-connected RAID storage quickly popped up.

And I have no trouble imagining why that would be interesting, haha.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MattInOz Avatar
183 months ago


I think I covered enough :)

Dude.... the glass is half full because it's a very nice red and it needs room to breath. Don't worry there is plenty more in the bottle.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)