Users who want to use more than one external monitor with their Mac have so far been fairly limited in their options. You can use a USB-to-DVI or VGA solution, as I’ve mentioned before, or you can use a wireless solution such as Air Display, but both solutions offer downsides (USB video adapters don’t support things like 3D acceleration and wireless solutions inevitably have some degree of lag) that native wired DisplayPort output does not.

Now, using two Mini DisplayPort adapters plugged in to the 27-inch iMacs Thunderbolt ports, users can simultaneously output to two monitors in addition to the main built-in screen of the iMac. It won’t necessarily clog up your Thunderbolt ports, either, since the tech supports daisy-chaining. That means you should be able to connect to Thunderbolt-compatible storage and then on to a display after that, too, without any loss of quality.

Having the ability to output to two additional monitors built-in makes the 27-inch iMac a very attractive machine for audio/visual professionals, and also for pretty much anyone who values more screen real estate in their work. Before today, you could spend hundreds of dollars trying to add-on the ability to your Mac using third-party software and hardware. This could very well be the tipping point for many who were considering an upgrade, but were unsure about whether or not they really needed to do so.

Mini DisplayPort input (which allowed the previous generation 27-inch iMac to act as an external monitor itself) appears to be missing from the list of features on the new iMac, but as far as I’m concerned it’s a very small price to pay for the huge added benefit of being able to output to more than one additional monitor. This has the power to significantly change people’s workflows and adds considerable creative benefit to a machine that’s already favored by creative professionals. Plus, once the Thunderbolt accessory market matures, having two of the ports will really help the new iMac anchor a considerably more capable work (and play) station.

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Another one bites the dust. Another in Apple’s line of Cinema Displays, that is.

Apple pulled the 20″ entry-level model of their popular professional caliber display line Thursday, leaving behind only the legacy 30″ model and the 24″ newly updated LED Cinema Display with DisplayPort that was introduced alongside the new unibody MacBooks and MacBook Pros at the notebook event late last year.

Last time a model was pulled, its replacement was already available, since it was the mid-range 23″ display and the 24″ had already been announced and was available via the Apple Store. The discontinuation of the 20″ leaves a significant hole in the existing line-up, since the mid-range 24″ display is a full $200 more expensive than its smaller sibling. Curiously, AppleInsider is also reporting that all backlogs are to be cancelled and that no replacement is to be offered to fill those orders already existing.

It seems an odd move for Apple to leave such a gap in their offerings, and most retailers suspect that a refreshed model will be made available soon. If we look at the 24″ for cues, it’s reasonably safe to say that the new model would use MiniDisplay Port for video connectivity, and might offer power supply and USB hub functions as well. Suddenly those $400-range used 20″ Cinema Displays I found on craigslist the other day are looking mighty appealing, since all of my existing Apple computers still use the mini-DVI standard. Yes, I’m living in the past.

As of yet, there is no way for Apple users with Mini-DVI connected hardware to hook up with the new 24″ display, and presumably with any other forthcoming devices that will use DisplayPort tech. I think I’m gonna go inquire to that craigslist poster after all, before he realizes what he’s got his hands on and the price gouging starts.

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DisplayPort got a big boost as a video connection standard when Apple decided to use it across its entire notebook line.

Of course, being Apple, they couldn’t use it as is, and instead introduced the Mini DisplayPort version, which was more compact, and, sadly, would also require special adapters to be purchased by MacBook owners. Now version 1.2 of the standard is poised to bring some improvements that will likely make it more attractive to consumers and manufacturers alike.

One of those improvements is the possible standardization of the Mini DisplayPort form factor, which could be a definite boon for MacBook owners, since the market for adapters would become much more competitive. Apple currently offers a free license for the Mini DisplayPort standard, but it has the right to refuse this license to anyone for any reason. Were it to become an official standard supported by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), any manufacturer could use it, without Apple’s say so.

That’s not all that’s in store for the promising young standard. Version 1.2 should also bring twice the available bandwidth, allowing for 3840×2160 resolution on a single screeen, two at 2560×1600, or four at 1920×1200, and support for 3D video playback.

More bandwidth could also be used for USB support, allowing the DisplayPort connector alone to power and run displays with built-in cameras like the iSight, and with integrated USB hubs. That would mean that a monitor like the 24-inch LED Cinema Display wouldn’t require a separate USB cable connection.

Support for functions beyond display is a definite advantage, but, as MacUser points out, DisplayPort brings with it the built-in DRM that’s responsible for the HD playback woes of new MacBook owners. Broader use of the standard should expand the list of supported monitors, so this problem could be somewhat mitigated by the time revision 1.2 arrives.

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DisplayPort does have several advantages over older standards such as DVI, based on more open protocols and reducing the need for control circuits built in to displays. It’s easier to use as a plug (not requiring thumbscrews), offers the possibility of connecting multiple monitors and also works well in computers where space is an important factor (the slimline MacBook Air for instance).

As with FireWire, Apple is one of the first companies to heavily push the new standard by integrating it into their lineup. FireWire suffered from a lack of development at the outset due to expensive licensing fees, allowing USB to take off as the most common connectivity standard. This move suggests that Apple is learning from past errors, attempting to push the new technology and reduce the cost to developers.

Gaining the support of hardware developers for the new standard is an important move for Apple, as it could help to provide connectivity in areas which Apple hasn’t yet ventured into. The possibility of connecting your Mac to a HDTV, for instance, is a widely demanded feature by new adopters. If you are a developer interested in the new standard, it is worth reading Apple’s announcement.

With recent laptop releases lacking FireWire 400, Apple has essentially marked an end to the format they originally pioneered. Hopefully the same won’t be true in another few years with DisplayPort.

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As if it wasn’t aggravating enough that new MacBook owners had to go out and replace all of their video adapters since Mini-DVI has been phased out and Mini DisplayPort introduced, today those lucky enough to have a 30-inch external monitor are now out of luck…again.

In an email to customers who’d purchased the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-DVI adapter, which is required to get full-resolution support on 30-inch external monitors, Apple regrettably informed those affected that they wouldn’t see delivery of their items until December 23. At least it’s before Christmas, right? Still leaves you time to wrap it and stuff it in that stocking.

Seriously, this is a significant delay for a product that many users depend upon for professional and work-related purposes. The original timeline for the adapter’s release already saw it coming a full month after the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros shipped, which had many users already complaining. With another month added, accusations that Apple is dropping the ball will only get louder.

The adapter, which costs $99, also occupies an additional USB slot to fulfill its power needs. The product’s ordering page at the Apple Store now shows expected shipping time at 4 to 5 weeks. In the letter notifying purchasers of the new shipping date, Apple cites only “an unexpected delay” as the cause of the additional wait time. They also offer the option of canceling your order in exchange for a full refund, but that’s not really an option if you need the adapter. Read the full notification email at 9to5mac.

It appears as though they’re having trouble dealing with their rapid growth. Has this delay affected you in any way?

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Apple has today started to take orders for their new 24″ LED Cinema Display. Shipping is stated to start sometime in November, and the screen is priced at $899. We have previously covered the announcement of the new displays and detailed their features.

This new device is the first display designed to make use of the new Mini DisplayPort currently only present in Apple’s notebook line. It sports Mini DisplayPort, USB and MagSafe connectors to really expand the experience of using a notebook. There’s also a built-in iSight camera, microphone, and speaker system that provide a “true desktop experience” — something not present on previous cinema displays. The addition of a notebook charging cable has been well received, and in-built DisplayPort may go some way to alleviate the problem with a shortage of converters.

Apple have been keen to promote the environmental aspects of the new displays (as heralded on the features page). Like many recent products, the display features mercury-free LED backlight technology and arsenic-free glass. The glass and aluminum construction make the display highly recyclable, so its raw materials can be used in other types of products. It receives a Gold rating from the EPEAT, and is Energy Star certified.

Many Apple users are hoping that the company has plans to introduce a 30″ counterpart to the new style display, but we’ll have to wait and see if this is announced in the future. It’s very unlikely to be before Christmas, as Apple has said publicly there will be no new hardware announcements until the New Year.

The new Cinema Display is selling for $899 and requires a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro with a new Mini DisplayPort. Orders will presumably be shipped, as usual, on a first-come first-served basis.

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