Jobs: iMac gets 17-inch flat panel display

The best-selling flat panel iMac has just gotten bigger, better, and -- on some models -- inexpensive. Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced a new 17-inch model during his Macworld Conference & Expo keynote in New York today.

The 17-inch LCD flat screen iMac, available in two weeks, also features an 800 MHz Power G4 processor, NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics, a SuperDrive for playing and burning CDs and DVDs, and a 80GB hard drive. The cost is US$1,999. The larger screen also offers 1440 x 900 resolution, or 64 percent more pixels, Jobs said. And it has a cinematic aspect ratio of 16:10.

"The iMac has been really great for us," Jobs said. "And now the best consumer desktop just got even better. Having this gorgeous 17-inch flat screen floating in mid-air right in front of you is simply breathtaking. There's nothing like it in the PC world."

The previous high-end iMac, a 15-incher with SuperDrive, is also getting a price cut of $100. It's now $1,799.

"It's proven to be our most popular model," Jobs said. "Macs with SuperDrives account for 50 percent of all Macs sold."