Apple likes Intel’s desktop line of Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs well enough to put them in their iMacs, so it makes sense that they would want to avail themselves of Intel’s three new Core i5 and i7 mobile CPUs (codenamed Arrandale) for any forthcoming refresh of the MacBook line. But things may not be that simple.

One way the Arrandale line of processors differs from previous Intel mobile CPUs is that the chips include mandatory integrated graphics. According to the Bright Side of News, Apple’s not interested in that: even the most inexpensive Macs now contain NVIDIA GeForce 9400M GPUs, which offer far superior performance to integrated graphics solutions.

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As a smartphone, the iPhone is hard to beat, but as a tool capable of inflicting extraordinary acts of physical violence, the handset is less impressive… even when compared to Apple’s other products.

A MacBook Air, of course, can be stealthily drawn across a carotid artery, but the iPhone’s rounded, lozenge-like design makes it a poor weapon for either stabbing or slashing. Neither can it be dropped like an anvil upon an unsuspecting brain pan, like the iMac, or used as a blunt, aluminum club, like the MacBook Pro. In battle, an iPhone — at best — can be hurled at an opponent as a distraction while you sprint, comically hooting, in the other direction. It’s a bizarre misstep in Jonathan Ives’ oeuvre of gladiatorial product designs.

Still, where Apple may have failed to deliver, enter the makers to transform the iPhone into the weapon of mass destruction it should be. Christopher Rojas took the TouchOSC application and used his iPhone to remote control a fantastic, solar-powered Arduino Tank, built out of parts from Sparkfun.

Today’s top deals highlight Apple hardware. First up, a $350 iBook 1.33 GHz G4 with 12-inch screen and Mac OS 10.5. Next are MacBooks starting at $749 for 2.1 GHz models with 13-inch screens. Finally, there are several iMac desktops starting at $849. The computers include 20-inch screens and a Core 2 Duo processor running at 2.66 GHz. Also on tap is a MacBook Air for $1,399. The unit includes a 1.86 GHz processor and 13-inch screen.

As always, details on these bargains and more (such as 80 percent discounts on iPod touch cases) can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.

Before the iPhone beget the iPhone case, speakers were probably the most-often added accessory for computer systems. But the MacBook has stereo speakers – they just need a bit more bass in the form of a subwoofer. BassJump from Charleston, SC-based Twelve South provides that extra audio oomph, but in a definitely Mac way.

Here’s a guide for finding the best bargains on Apple-related gear during the infamous Black Friday sales on November 27. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of gear from leaked photos of sales flyers and descriptions of sales.

The bargains include a 2.26 GHz MacBook + $150 gift card at Best Buy for $999.99 ; a 32GB iPod Touch + $30 Gift Card for $295.00 at Target; and a Sony Speaker Dock Clock Radio For iPod/iPhone for $79.99 at Office Depot.

We’ll continue to update this guide as more retailers announce their Black Friday offerings in the run up to the big day.

We’ve reached mid-week and to celebrate, we lead off our top trio of deals with an offer on 15-inch MacBook Pros for $1,594 and a 27-inch 2.66 GHz iMac with AppleCare for $2,198. To mark Apple’s 100,000 available apps, we also feature the latest list of App Store freebies.

For details on these and other items (such as an 85 percent-off deal on iPhone accessories), check out CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.

Though the Apple Store isn’t back up yet, Apple has officially confirmed the announcement of new iMacs, a plastic unibody MacBook and the Magic Mouse, a stunningly proportioned wireless multitouch mouse. The iMacs include an awesome-looking 27-inch widescreen model; the high-end machine comes with quad-core processors, which Apple says boosts performance 2x over the previous generation.

The unibody MacBook is a nice consumer take on the new design language first established by the MacBook Air and then refined in the unibody aluminum MacBook Pro.

The Magic Mouse is…interesting. Will have to use one to get a sense for how well it handles gestures. I’ll be back with more analysis once the store’s back and I have more time for reading, but it looks like a solid refresh a day ahead of Windows 7.

From the start, the Mac mini was seen as the perfect way to serve up video and audio to your home television. Trouble was, with the advent of high-definition pictures, your mini and HD sets had a bit of a failure to communicate. When Apple created the mini, it would interface with the world using the Mini DisplayPort standard – which was great if you had an Apple monitor, but for the rest of the planet, it was a bit like speaking only Klingon.

Kanex has introduced a bridge of sorts, an adapter which sits between your Mini DisplayPort output and your high-def television’s HDMI video and audio input. The upshot? The adapter will “turn a DisplayPort video signal into a 1080p signal over HDMI, and will even integrate either digital or analog audio into the mix,” Engadget writes.

The $70 unit grabs power from the USB port, eliminating the need for yet another power brick and associated cables for your HD entertainment setup.

Earlier this year Monoprice.com announced it would offer MacBook owners a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter for $14.25.

Kanex said its adapter works with Unibody MacBooks, MacBook Pros, the MacBook Air and iMac, along with the Mac Mini.

[Via iClarified, Engadget and Kanex]

Deals on MacBook Pro laptops keep landing on our desk – and we keep passing them on to you. This week’s cage fight is between the mothership herself and ExperCom. While ExperCom’s offer has more power under the hood (2.93GHz versus Apple’s 2.66 GHz alternative), Cupertino appears to lead in variety. For discount shoppers, we have a battle between Mac Mall’s 75% off and PC Micro Store’s 50% off on iPhone accessories. Finally, we round out the top tier with a smattering of cases and assorted equipment.

For details on these and other bargains (like App Store price drops), head over to CoM’s Daily Deals page.

Now that Apple has released a new version of its iPod touch, the floodgate of first- and second-generation units offer some good bargains. Today, we include two options – refurbished touch’s from the Apple Store and a MacMall deal. Weather you’re into leather or metal, we have an iPod/iPhone case for you. Plus, in our drive to offer you choices, today’s other lead-off hitters give you two discounts on Mac hardware or screen protectors.

For details on these and other products (like a portable solar charger), check out CoM’s Daily Deals page.