Product designers the world over have
something new to copy: Apple's second-generation iMac is the new coolest PC ever, taking the title from the original (whose translucent design found its way onto things like toasters). Its 10.6-inch spherical base holds the essentials: a 800MHz G4 processor, 60GB hard drive, and DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive that plays and burns DVDs and CDs. And an adjustable 15-inch LCD flat screen makes it the sharpest, brightest Mac ever. In addition, it has 3-D graphics capabilities three times more powerful than those of previous models, and its Apple Pro speakers rival home stereo sound. Price: $1,299 to $1,799.
> Edited by Suzanne Kantra Kirschner with Jenny Everett
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Science is reinventing play, from extreme sports to gamification to ridiculous roller coasters to the playgrounds of tomorrow, and this issue is chock full of fun. Also, on a less fun note: Did global warming destroy my hometown?