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Return of the Mac

Punters are gagging for it

Apple has reported record consumer demand for the iMac, which went on sale in America on August 15. The computer is leaving shops as fast as Apple can get it on the shelves. Many dealers have reported sell outs and are taking orders for delivery this coming weekend and further ahead. Apple is going all out to sell the iMac, and is backing the launch with the largest marketing campaign in the company's history. The company has spent more than $100 million on media advertising this calendar year. Steve Jobs, Apple's interim CEO, said: "iMac sold out at most of our dealers this past weekend and we're refuelling them with tens of thousands more for this weekend." Resellers have been describing it as Christmas is August. Computerware said it sold more iMacs on Saturday than it did PCs in the whole of July. Jim Halpin at CompUSA said it was the biggest launch in his company's history. "Apple is back, and iMacs are flying off store shelves across the USA," he said. The processor in the iMac is twice as fast as similarly priced PCs and according to BYTEmark integer test, 40 per cent faster than the fastest PC available. It has built in 100MB Ethernet and 56Kb/s modem. It launches in the UK on September 5, and anticipation of its arrival is enthusiastic. Dave Ruddell, sales manager at Albion, one of Apple's biggest UK resellers, said that he expects to clear the stock arriving for the launch on the first day. "It's the biggest interest in and Apple computer that I have seen for ten years," he said.

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