Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has unveiled the new Thunderbolt Display, a 27-inch 2560x1440 IPS LED monitor with built-in Thunderbolt support. Touted as the world's first Thunderbolt monitor, the souped-up display incorporates a built-in FaceTime HD camera and microphone, a FireWire 800 port, three USB 2.0 ports and Gigabit Ethernet. A second built-in Thunderbolt connector can be used to daisy-chain up to five other Thunderbolt peripherals, which may include a second monitor. Finally, the display is capable of powering a MacBook laptop by means of a built-in MagSafe port.

While other companies have busied themselves with creating proprietary docking stations compatible only for specific laptop models, Apple has opted to leverage the Intel-developed (NASDAQ: INTC) Thunderbolt technology to build a veritable docking station right into the Apple Thunderbolt Display. MacBook Pro or MacBook Air users need only plug in two connectors to greatly bolster their connectivity options. Indeed, this photo of the Apple Thunderbolt Display on Wired shows both connectors built into the same cable.

The use of Thunderbolt here is similar to how Sony (NYSE: SNE) has based its docking station around a proprietary Thunderbolt implementation for the company's new VAIO Z laptop, demonstrating the power and flexibility of the Thunderbolt interface. Priced at $999, the display can be ordered today from the Apple Store, though its availability, according on a CNET News report, was understood to be "within the next 60 days."

For more:
- check out this article at Wired
- check out this article at CNET News
- check out this article at Mac Observer

Related Articles:
Teardown of Apple's Thunderbolt cable reveals transceiver chips
The future of high-speed peripherals is 'Thunderbolt'
Intel launches Light Peak as Thunderbolt, offers blistering 10Gbps per channel