Purchasing Intel iMac Advice

I have a few questions that I hope someone can answer.
1. Is 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 faster than a 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5? I might want to dabble in Adobe Photoshop and Premiere work.
2. Has anyone purchase the iMac with the internal 2TB Serial ATA Drive and 256GB Solid State Drive combo?
And what brand/model of drives are in the iMac?
3. Is it better or safer to get an internal 1TB or 2TB Serial ATA Drive? I understand that the bus speed is quicker than attaching an FW/USB external drive. I just don't know how fast I will fill up the internal drive without resorting to using an external.
4. Is a wireless keyboard safe? I have been using a USB keyboard for quite sometime. If feel weird about typing sensitive information (e.g. bank stuff, passwords, etc.). Is it possible for someone to "eavesdrop"?

1. I am not sure what you mean by future proofing in regards to which Intel core to use. Would the i7 be faster than the i5?
By future proofing I mean if you want to expand your needs in the future you will have a more robust computer with the i7. Yes the i7 is faster but for 95% of day to day uses you will never see that performance increase. Only a few applications are available today that do and from what you've told us of your needs you probably will not see much (if any) increase in performance with the i7.
2. I heard that the boot-time and overall performance is much faster if the OS is running on the solid state drives. I believe Apple said this is the normal configuration that they would ship. What I am wondering is...
SSD performance is ONLY faster for starting the computer (really a mute point because Macs should be left on 24/7) and for launching applications and files stored on the SSD. Other than that there isn't any performance increase. For day to day use (web surfing, email, basic tasks) SSD's performance is of no consequence.
a. Can I later on (not sure why but just in case), designate the ATA drive as the boot instead of the SSD?
Sure!
b. I try to clear the browser cache, logs, preference files and purge e-mails and attachments on a regular basis. But for the numerous files that Mac OS X normally generates (which adds up quickly), is a 256 GB SSD larger enough?
Probably just store the OS, your apps and critical files on it and 256GB should be PLENTY of space.
My computer uses only 60GB of it's internal storage because I store most of my media files (music, photos and movies) on external HDs. Even though my computer has a relatively small HD (320GB) I still have a LOT of available space.
c. What kind of general speed increase are we looking at when using a SSD drive as the boot?
It would be dramatic. It could be 15-20 seconds on a SSD vs. 90 seconds on a HD. However Apple recommends in the owners manual to leave the computer on and let it sleep when not in use. The recommend turning it off when you're going to be away for a few days. You can find the manuals on Apple's web site and I believe that statement is on page 15. That's why I said earlier start up times with a SSD is really a mute point, if you follow the manual and use your computer daily you're probably only re-starting once every month or so!
d. Also, if I wanted to install Windows 7, 256 GB SSD probably would not give me a nice amount of wiggle room, co?
You could do that, why do you want to install Windows 7 though and how do you intend to install it? What I mean by that do you want to use Boot Camp or Virtualization software like Parallels or Fusion? IMHO the only reason to load Win 7 is if you have apps that aren't available on OS X.
e. Is SSD drive upgradeable or is it permanently part of the motherboard?
The SSD is not part of the motherboard (btw Mac's don't have motherboards, they're call main logic boards ). The only user upgradeable parts on iMacs is really the RAM. Down the road if you want to upgrade the SSD it's highly recommended to take it to a professional to do so.
3. I thought 1TB internal would be a safer bet if I decide not to go the SSD route. And potentially less data to lose if the ATA drive fails. But I guess if I ever wanted to upgrade to a 2 TB, it is technically not a DIY to the Apple warranty and complexities of even DIY. But I feel like a 2TB would be better...
4. Wireless keyboard. I was actually referring to using it at home and not for the actual purchasing of the computer. I am just wondering about key loggers and the potential for someone else to somehow intercept the bluetooth signals.
Mac's are incredibly secure, you don't have to worry about that at all.

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