Cupertino (CA) - Time for a change: Apple today replaced the Emac computer, which resembled the look of the first-generation CRT Imac, with an updated version that sports the design of the current system. The "education configuration" is available from $900 and is priced $100 below from regular Imac computers.

With LC displays having taken over the mainstream from bulky cathode ray tube-based monitors (CRTs), it is certainly the right time for Apple to replace its aging Emac design with a more modern look. And other than the original Emac, which often was considered a cheap and outdated design, the new Imac in "education configuration" is up to date and offers students and schools the same stylish system as the currently sold regular versions.

The $900 base model comes with a 17" screen that offers a 1440x900 pixel resolution. Compared to the regular $1300 entry-level Imac, the student version comes with a smaller hard drive (80 GB instead of 160 GB), a less capable graphics system (Intel GMA960 chipset instead of an ATI Radeon X1600 128 MB card), a CD burner instead of a DVD writer and lacks Bluetooth connectivity and ships without a remote control. The remaining components are the same and include a 1.83 GHz Core Duo processor, 512 MB of system memory and built-in Wi-Fi.

Apple's Imac

Identically configured, the education configuration Imac is priced at $1200 or $100 less than the regular model. There is also a $1600 education Imac, which includes a 20" (1680x1050 pixel) screen, a 2 GHz processor and a 250 GB hard drive. Fully equipped with 2 GB of memory, a 500 GB hard drive and a 256 MB graphics card, the student Macs top out at just under $2000.