By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 04:00 PM EST

Although branded as an all-new iMac, the new aluminum model is a subtler evolution of the white all-in-one it replaces rather than the overhaul seen with the leap to the iMac G5 in 2004.

Beyond the metal enclosure, the most obvious changes are the glossy, glass-based LCD display with a black, plastic frame and the matte black plastic at the rear of the computer -- both of which are conspicuously designed to mimic cosmetic touches on the iPhone. The cabinet itself is exactly a third of an inch thick at its narrowest point, but tapers towards the back to help vent heat towards the back of the casing.

Equally on show at the event is Apple's first major redesign of the company's wired and wireless keyboards. The ultra-thin design, which is available as a stand-alone item from Apple's online store, is also aluminum uses notebook-like keys with a flat surface similar to that of the MacBook.

And unlike previous wired and wireless pairings, the physical layouts are different: the Bluetooth-based wireless model abandoning the number pad and extra function keys in favor of a more compact shape for media centers. It also scraps the side USB ports for battery access slots.

Both versions overlay the traditional F-keys with dedicated media functions such as pausing music and invoking Dashboard or Expose. A Fn key is used to modify the keys back to their traditional roles. Conspicuously, the Apple logo is now removed from both of the Command keys.