Apple’s new iMac G5 was unveiled today at the Apple Expo in Paris. c|net is calling it “Apple Computer’s fall fashion statement.” I’m calling it an ode to the iPod. The iMac G4’s desk-lamp-stuck-into-a-Hostess-Snowball rig has been jettisoned in favor of a clean one piece design that mimics the iPod’s look and feel. While I could never be accused of being a slave to fashion, my recently acquired iMac G4 is suddenly looking a lot like last year’s model.

From a technical perspective, the iMac G5 is a nifty all-in-one. The flat-screens are hung on a snazzy anodized aluminum stand and available in either 17-inch or 20-inch models. All of the guts are contained within the monitor case. A pair of variable speed fans pull air in from the bottom of the case and push the air out the top. Apple promises whisper-quiet operation.

The 17-inch (1440 by 900 pixel) iMacs are equipped with 1.6 or 1.8 GHz G5 processors and 80GB hard drives. The 20-inch (1680 by 1050 pixel) iMac uses the 1.8GHz processor, and is equipped with a 160GB hard drive and (DVD/CD burning) Apple SuperDrive. Video is handled with Nvidia’s GeForce FX 5200.