Apple Computer refreshed the Mac Mini today by adding dual-core Intel i5 and i7 processors, a Thunderbolt port, and a discrete graphics card. What’s interesting is that the standard Mac Mini no longer has a built-in optical drive. Instead, there’s an option for an external SuperDrive for $79 which reads and writes from DVDs and CDs. In addition, Apple announced its upcoming Cinema Display.

There’s no shortage of ways in which you can raise a computer or monitor. Books will work just fine, after all. But if you’re going to lift your monitor off your desk, why not reclaim that desk space? This is what Just Mobile offers with their Mtable, designed to perfectly complement your Apple products. Unfortunately, they offer it at a price that’ll turn away some potential users.

Today, Apple added the much anticipated 27 inch LED Cinema Display to the Apple Store online. This new size of LED Cinema Display has an amazing 2560-by-1440 resolution. Plus it’s IPS, just like iPhone 4, so off angle viewing and color accuracy are top notch. It also comes with an iSight, a microphone, 2.1 speaker system, and 3 USB ports built in. Basically, it’s a 27 inch iMac without the computer part. You can order one today for $999 and hopefully get it in a week or two.

Concluding the day’s desktop Mac theme, Apple announced this morning a new 27-inch Cinema Display. The new display sports a 2560 x 1440 resolution, and, because of its size, has an actual 16:9 ratio (no more letterboxing when watching widescreen DVDs!). Like its 24-inch sibling, the display is targeted at MacBook and MacBook Pro users, with a built in three-in-one cable: a MagSafe power adapter, USB plug, and Mini DisplayPort.

Apple’s latest round of hardware updates brought not only a phenomenal line of notebooks but a new port, the Mini DisplayPort. Apple wants to build momentum for this connection by offering fee-free licensing to any developer interested in using the connection in a product. The Mini DisplayPort is new in many ways for Apple, and more »

Today, Apple quietly discontinued the 23 inch Cinema Display. This was expected considering it’s basically being replaced by the new 24 inch Cinema Display. The Apple Online Store lists the display’s shipping status as Discontinued. On a more positive note, the shipping is still free. The newer 24 inch Cinema Display has the new Display more »

According to MacRumor’s Buyer’s Guide, it’s been about 450 days since Apple last updated the Mac Mini. That’s over 2.5 times the average of 188 days for a Mac Mini product cycle. I think it’s safe to say Apple needs to do something about the Mac Mini. Dennis Sellers from Macsimum News thinks that Apple will make that decision soon.

Since I’m pretty sure that we’ll see an iMac and Mac mini update on Tuesday, Nov. 10 (if they’re not announced today), I’m going out on a limb and say that we’ll see new Mac Pros introduced at January’s Macworld Conference & Expo.

Now it should be immediately noted that this is pure speculation. There is no leaked information behind this, just a gut feeling. Oh, and to add to the credibility, Nov. 10th is a Monday.

But we all knew he meant Tuesday, Nov. 11, or should I say iTuesday? In any event, we’ve been waiting for some answer from Apple about this Mac Mini business. It’s been rumored to be either dead or upgraded. The only rumor that isn’t going around right now is that it’s going to stay the same; that would just be too boring.

I’m not going to make a prediction on the exact day that Apple will announce an upgrade to the Mac Mini, but I think it will happen…soon. Here’s my reasoning…

Apple cranked out some new products today, but unfortunately, they seem to have done it in a really shoddy way. After the jump, I outline what I think are the strong points and the weaknesses of Apple’s product announcements today.

DaringFireball has yet more last minute details about the forthcoming MacBook Pros. According to them, it seems many of the details we’ve been hearing about are the real deal.

Check their list and talk of the “buttonless” track pad after the break.

MacRumors is reporting a rumor of new Apple Cinema displays to be announced at MWSF 2009. The only feature rumored to be added is LED backlighting.

Apple’s 20″, 23″, and 30″ Cinema displays have remained expensive and relatively unchanged since launched in 2004.

More after the break.