If you've been in the market for a new Apple laptop (you did wait, right?!), today was your lucky day. Steve Jobs took the stage at a special Apple Event to announce the latest revisions to the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines, including some notable new features, a different manufacturing process, small updates to the MacBook Air and a new 24-inch LED backlit Cinema Display. We've hit the highlights for you below in one handy wrap-up.

 

MacBook Pro 2008

The new MacBook Pro is available in two versions, both crafted from a single solid piece of aluminum:

• $1,999: 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, multi-touch glass trackpad, Mini Display Port connector, 15.4-inch LED-backlit display, built-in iSight and microphone, stereo speakers, magnetic latch, slot loading SuperDrive, Ethernet, Firewire 800, 2 USB ports, ExpressCard 34 slot, sudden motion sensor and reportedly improved video performance thanks to two graphics chips: an integrated NVIDIA 9400M chipset and GPU, and an additional NVIDIA 9600M GPU with 256MB VRAM.
• $2,499: 2.53GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, again both video chips with the NVIDIA 9600M seeing a boost to 512MB VRAM, and the remaining specs identical to its less expensive sibling.
• The original 17-inch MacBook Pro is still available starting at $2,799 and received slight upgrades including a high resolution 1920 x 1200 LED-backlit display and a larger standard 320GB hard drive or optional 128GB solid state drive.

 

MacBook 2008

The new MacBook is also available in two configurations, both of which are crafted from a single solid piece of aluminum and are thinner and lighter than their predecessors:

• $1,299: 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, multi-touch trackpad, 13.3-inch LED backlight display, slot-loading SuperDrive, an integrated NVIDIA 9400M chipset, reported 5 hours of battery life.
• $1,599: 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, and a backlit keyboard, with remaining specs identical.
• optional upgrades: RAM can be upgraded to 4GB, hard drive can be upgraded to 250GB or 320GB or replaced with a 128GB solid state drive. Mini DisplayPort adapters can also be purchased to connect with specific displays.
• The original low-end MacBook is still available with a price drop to $999.

 

MacBook Air

The MacBook Air line received only a modest revision in storage and graphics, now sporting an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics and a "faster architecture to provide robust support for 3D games and enhanced performance," according to Apple. The $1,799 Air also gets a 50% increase in storage to a 120GB hard drive, or an optional 128GB solid state drive.

 

LED Cinema Display

Another new announcement today was an addition to the Apple Cinema Display line. The 24-inch monitor complements an existing 20-, 23- and 30-inch lineup and adds the same LED backlight feature found on the new MacBooks. Specifically marketed as a companion to the new MacBooks, the LED Cinema Display comes with a 3-part connector cable that includes the Mini Display Port connector, USB connector, and a MagSafe connector that powers and charges the new MacBook or MacBook Pro. The 24-inch Cinema Display displays a maximum resolution of 1900 x 1200 and also includes a built-in iSight camera, stereo speakers, 3-port USB hub, and a smooth motion hinge that allows for angle adjustments between -5 and 25 degrees. The LED Cinema Display will be available in November for $899.

 

Notable takeaway points

Beside the sheer thrill of new toys tugging at our collective wallets, there are some interesting points of note from today's Apple announcements. We rounded up some of the most noteworthy talking points below:

• Dual graphics cards! In a laptop! This is a very uncommon occurrence heretofore only seen in extremely high end gaming or desktop replacement laptops.
• The multi-touch glass trackpad: The new trackpad dispenses with a mouse button altogether, turning the entire trackpad surface into one big button. This provides a 39% larger tracking area made of friction-optimized glass. Apple is including software-based multiple virtual buttons that can be enabled in System Preferences, and up to four-finger multitouch gestures are now possible on the trackpad including new gestures for triggering Exposé and switching applications more easily.
• Solid state drive options for the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines: the advantages of SSDs include faster startup times, quieter operation and less chance of mechanical drive failure. Solid state drives have been an option in the MacBook Air but not in the MacBook or MacBook Pro lines until today.
• Mini DisplayPort: Apple is touting this type of connector as a “next-generation industry standard.” Combined with comments in today’s Q&A about the lack of HDMI ports, the company is clearly steering away from HDMI support in favor of DisplayPort (although adapters for using the new MacBooks with HDMI displays are available). The Mini DisplayPorts seen on the new MacBooks are only 10% of the footprint of the older, full DVI connectors.
• New aluminum MacBook case design: before the Apple Event, rumours were circulating about a new manufacturing process referred to as codename “Brick.” Those rumours proved correct, and Brick really refers to cutting the entire laptop chassis from a single block of precision aluminum. This is basically the same process used to manufacture the MacBook Air, now applied to the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines.
• LED backlit displays: LED backlighting offers a number of advantages over previously employed fluorescent tube backlights, including less motion blur, improved dynamic contrast (stronger blacks and whites and a greater graduate range in between), a wider color gamut, longer lifespan, lower power consumption (Apple claims the new screens use up to 30% less energy), and greater environmental friendliness via the elimination of mercury (as well as via the lower power consumption and greater overall lifespan).
• No Blu-ray support or HDMI connectors: In the Q&A at the end of today’s event, Steve Jobs quipped that Blu-ray is “just a bag of hurt.” He cited the complex licensing of the technology as being prohibitive and commented that HDMI “is limited in resolution.” SVP Phil Schiller added that “DisplayPort is the connector of the future,” indicating that Apple doesn’t appear to have much interest in supporting Blu-ray as a high-definition standard.
• Apple’s appeal to environmental friendliness: Today’s presentation and Apple’s press release are laden with references to environmental consciousness. All of the new MacBooks are certified EPEAT Gold, the highest rating from the EPEAT independent organization founded to help customers compare the environmental performance of laptops and desktops. They also meet Energy Star 4.0 requirements and reportedly contain no mercury, arsenic, brominated flame retardants or PVC.

Still hungry for more details from today's Apple Event? Check out our liveblog which includes links to other resources around the web, and watch the live video from today's event.