Image credit: Apple

Sure, all the kids are asking for iPads. But the adults? They might just be eyeing Apple's super-thin new 21.5-inch iMac for the holidays. Apple announced today that the all-in-one desktop computer will hit stores on Friday, Nov. 30, for a starting price of $1,299.

Apple typically refreshes its big-screened desktop every year, but this year the models didn't just get an internal performance bump. The machine measures just 5 mm at the top edge and the IPS display has been recrafted with a new glass that has less reflection and glare. All that is matched with high-end organs - there are a range of quad-core processor options, up to 16GB of RAM, Nvidia GeForce graphics, and 1TB hard drives.

Apple has actually done a bit of work on those hard drives, or what it's calling Fusion Drives. The Fusion Drives combine fast flash or solid-state drives with older, spinning hard drives. Simply put: the Mountain Lion operating system and apps will be very snappy, but you still get a ton of storage space. The $1,299 base level 21.5-inch iMac will be available with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and Nvidia's GeForce GT 640M graphics.

The larger 27-inch iMac will ship in December. Apple is also expected to release the new version of iTunes before the end of this month. The company pushed the release off a month in October.