Okay, so our scrappy pups in Cupertino didn't beat the analysts' expectations as they have so often in the past. But considering that they still managed to scrape together a whole mess of green by selling relatively premium-priced computers and electronic devices during an economic slump (which Fred Anderson calls a "very challenging environment" and which many people are probably calling "food, heat, or Cipro?"), we're pretty deliriously happy with the company's reported results. For those of you who haven't yet seen the official Apple press release, Apple just announced a quarterly profit of $38 million, right in line with what Wall Street was expecting. Congratulations are clearly in order; all you Apple employees out there, give yourselves a pat on the back and a big wet smooch. But no tongue!

We're actually listening to Fred Anderson's conference call as we produce this, and so far there aren't any real surprises, and most of the news is good. Apple shipped 746,000 Macs last quarter, 40% of which were portables, and people are snapping up iBooks like they're a ticket to heaven (which, in a way, they are). Revenue was $1.38 billion, which was a little lower than expectations, due largely to what Fred called the "mature form factor" of the iMac. The new iMacs, on the other hand, have the highest preorder level Apple's seen since the introduction of the original iMac. CRT iMacs will stick around until such time that Apple can get an LCD version wedged in there to take over the sub-$1000 price point, though there's no indication when (or if) that'll be possible. The most fun, of course, is hearing all these analysts trying to trick Fred into saying something about a new Power Mac coming out this quarter (or even, um, next week), but the guy's a little too smart to fall for that.

In AtATland, of course, the only real reason to get all worked up over Apple's quarterly results is because it determines the winner of our Beat The Analysts contest. We won't have the complete results and breakdown until tomorrow, but we know enough to be able to state that this quarter's big winner is none other than faithful viewer Mike Hough. Congratulations, Mike! Although, since Apple posted a profit of eleven cents per share, exactly as Wall Street predicted, we suppose that technically Mike didn't really beat the analysts, so much as join them. Still, that doesn't change the fact that he's going to receive a nifty Apple travel mug (thanks, Diversified Computers!) and his choice of an AtAT t-shirt or a dusty old software title from our Baffling Vault of Antiquity™.

So that's that: another profitable quarter for Apple to mark on the scorecard. And if all goes even vaguely according to plan (i.e. some mutant LCD-eating virus doesn't crash to earth on a meteorite and wreak havoc with iMac production), Apple expects to be doing a happy dance next quarter, as well; so far it expects to make roughly the same amount of profit, on revenues rising slightly to the $1.5 billion level. Keep your fingers crossed... and your wallets open.