Apple would never replace the iMac with a cheaper cube. What kind of revolution would that be? Reintroducing old products to replace current ones? That requires no thought on Apples part except 'Hey, cut the iMac, and start pumping out Cubes again!' Maybe you are thinking of some PC company <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> .
Aaaah, pscates. You've fallen into the AppleInsider Trap. You have failed to realize what you want out of your Apple is not what your average consumer wants out of his Apple.
You see the cube and see simplicity. Joe Average sees things to plug together, just like that dag-nabbit VCR he can't get to work. Remember the first iMac commercial ever (link, anyone?). First it showed a PC with wires upon wires upon wires. Then it showed an iMac, with a single power plug. Apple has sold 5 million (right?) iMacs under their current strategy. Why, oh why, would they abandon this?
The average consumer becomes exponentially more confused with each additional choice. Keep it simple, make it competitive, and the iMacs will sell.
So, pscates, I am officially on record: new iMac will be a one-piece unit. If you are right, I'll change my name to "pscates proved Pook wrong."
Yeah, I guess you all are right. I'm not putting myself in the place of "Joe Consumer" who DOES get intimidated by even the appearance of complexity (not that ONE CABLE is complex...but I digress...).
Oh well.
Okay, then...I don't know WHAT in the hell this new iMac is going to look like. It'll be gorgeous and cool to the fifth power, I'm sure.
Just one more week.
I just have a lot more riding on this than past keynotes because I'm actually looking to buy this time, so I feel a stronger connection/pull to next week's Expo because it may end up playing a major role in me parting with $1500 of my money!
I can't believe a photo or line drawing or SOMETHING hasn't been leaked. This has possibly been one of Apple's best kept secrets because there's NOTHING firm or even halfway substantial on it.
For the record (and as a response to a few of you in this thread), I don't think there needs to be a THIRD desktop model to muddy the waters and occupy so weird "no man's land" between the iMac and the G4 towers.
If done right, the iMac could (and should) fill the roll nicely of consumer/education/prosumer/desktop publisher/student/gamer/soccer mom/grandparent/newbie computer, with specs and features that more than meet the need for these types of users.
I don't see the need to have tons of different iMacs, differentiated by colors, MHz, etc.
The best thing Apple has done in a LONG time, IMO, is what they did to the iBook last spring: one model, 1 clock speed, same I/O, etc. and simply differentiate the line by optical drive.
That made it SO easy for non-Apple geeks to figure out exactly which one they wanted: "Do I want a DVD or a CD burner? OR, do I want both?".
BAM! Genius.
I hope some of that thinking finds its way to the new iMac.
When the iMac first came out, it was (for a few months, anyway) one model, one color, etc.
I think THAT'S what appeals to people, especially newbies and the traditional iMac customer. Granted the color thing helped and was certainly cool, but that's pretty much faded now, as we all know.
I would love to see simply a FAST and POWERFUL iMac unveiled next week that pretty much comes in only one or two models: CD-ROM and Combo Drive. Why make people choose between watching movies or burning CDs? Those are both cool, useful things. I say give them a basic CD-ROM drive, or a full-tilt combo drive, with several hundred bucks separating the two.
For people who already own external, FAST (16x and above) CD writers and who already have a nice DVD player hooked to their TV in the den, they could simply get a powerful new iMac and not pay for a drive(s) they don't need and won't use.
Then for guys like me who a) have neither a burner OR a DVD player and b) love the idea of everything being neat, clutter-free and self-contained, we can pop for the combo drive model. Given a choice, most people probably WILL go for a combo drive.
They're not even making it an option in the TiBooks now...it's simply the stock drive!
But this new iMac should have the same fast processor, same zippy video card that FINALLY will appeal somewhat to someone who does the game thing, generous hard drive space, etc.
They have to come out swinging next Monday morning because, IMO, the iMac has been on life support and totally languishing for a year or so now, given only cosmetic and VERY minor enhancements.
They need to pull the cover off something next week that honestly makes every damn one of us here go "OHMIGOD...I don't even NEED an iMac, but I'm buying one of those things TODAY!!!"
I hope all this waiting and hoping and speculating will not have been in vain.
BTW, I'm only mildly conceding that the new iMac won't be two-piece. I reserve the right to hold on to a little piece of my wish/idea...just in case.
[quote]pscates - The best thing Apple has done in a LONG time, IMO, is what they did to the iBook last spring: one model, 1 clock speed, same I/O, etc. and simply differentiate the line by optical drive.
That made it SO easy for non-Apple geeks to figure out exactly which one they wanted: "Do I want a DVD or a CD burner? OR, do I want both?".
<hr></blockquote>
Yup. that's what made it sooooo easy for me to buy my iBook. I hope Apple does let this carry over to the iMac. The big challenge however, will be the low cost, low end model.
I can't wait to see what they come up with. I believe it will be a knock out. If it is, I will be ordering while he is still giving the keynote!
Joe Average according to the members of this board: "Goddam those Cubes are sexy mother****ers but it has one (speakers in screen)/three (speakers seperate) more wires than the old iMac and I simple can´t figure out how to connect them: Do the USB speakers go into telephone plug and the electric cable into the VCR or was it the other way. I´ll trade sexy for one/three cables less"
If this is true we should rediscover the "Are all americans stupid"-thread.
And about the first iMac commercial: It isn´t so much about one computer with all in it, but more about many different boxes (the Cube as iMac should come with a bundled 15 inch) and registrations codes, difficult OS aso.
<strong>If this is true we should rediscover the "Are all americans stupid"-thread.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
I think the big problem with the average american is choice. They (we?) have too many choices, give them 1 iMac speed and they just have to choose the drive and ram/hd. Then their choice will be a lot easyer regardless of whether or not it is all-in-one, or a cube.
You are right, the fact that there are 1 or 2 or 5 more cables is moot. The problem is on any other PC you would probably have to configure the things you are plugging in, on a mac it is all done for you...
The only problem with more cables is cable clutter, which Steve hates. So I dono if a 2 piece iMac will happen.
Great thread and very constructive, Pscates! I have to concur with your line of thinking: There will be a two-piece iMac. It may not make it to this MWSF, but we will see one. I'll take the major issues in this thread point by point:
I. Concerning separate CPUs
It is true that the iMac was very successful due in part to the all-in-one nature of the machine. The case design is still pretty unique, and it is very effective for many buyers. There is no question that any successor to the iMac would need to have an easy setup path.
At the same time, however, while a number of first time users still like the current iMac, it has obviously dropped off in the sales department. The design of the current iMac was a draw because of its ease of use but also due to its novelty. It was a neat looking machine that caught everyone's attention, and it served its purpose. But a larger percentage of the customer base isn't looking for the iMac type of machine anymore; it's no longer sought after for a couple of reasons.
I'm very close to the consumer side of the Apple equation, and the customers are expressing these concerns (in descending order of importance): 1) No choice in monitor size (the iMac screen is too small for most.); 2) Lack of G4 processor; 3) Lack of bang for buck (psychological effect of not having a bulky tower to look at). Listen, I realize that the AIO nature of the iMac is a great feature for some, just not for enough people. A bunch of the computer shoppers out there are not as ignorant as one may believe; they often state point blank that the iMac's screen is too small and that there's no G4. People want a low cost G4 with a choice of monitors.
II. The iMac Cubed?
So now that we've established the fact that there is strong market demand (relative to Apple sales) for a two-piece iMac containing a G4 and monitor choice, let's look at the feasibility of that computer being the reborn Cube. I definitely like this idea. As a casing concept, the Cube was definitely popular. We all liked the look of the Cube (well, most of us, anyway). Price dictates market realities, though, and the Cube was simply positioned/priced improperly. We all said it the day it came out (you can even look back at the boards if there are archives): The system was just over priced.
People were very impressed with the cube and continued to look upon its design favorably even after it was discontinued. I know many admired one of the last display systems I saw until it was finally purchased. Additionally, I heard from sales managers that people came to retailers days after the discontinuation to ask about buying the Cube. There was demand for the system, and I think there would be great demand today if the system were reintroduced properly.
III. Counter Arguments
With all of this said, however, there are some very good points of contention against the re-introduction of the Cube. The number one issue is that it failed the first time around. I can see why Apple would be hesitant to reintroduce a machine that caused such a headache (poor sales, first major blunder of the Second Reign of Jobs, first quarterly loss of the Second Reign). On the other hand, Think Different shouldn't be an idle advertising slogan. I've illustrated why there's a need for the machine, and I don't think the fact that the first Cube flopped would deter Apple from going ahead with a new one if the company believed the risk would be outweighed by potential benefits. I believe it would be.
The next major problem is the additional complexities of more cording. ADC solves much of the worry here, except for that darn brick power supply. It sticks out like a sore thumb and just goes against any hopes for iMac like simplicity. When I talk to people about the iMac, I always plug its out-of-box simplicity, so it would be nice if the new iMac Cubed could consolidate that power supply in some way. Still, if Apple can't do so, customers will still find a way to set their new iMacs up. After all, as a number of others stated, many, many customers are hooking up those screwed over PCs they buy.
Putting the ports in such an odd place was a bad decision on the part of the original Cube designers. I suppose they didn't want to sacrifice the aesthetic appeal even a tiny bit, a definite case of form over function. They should move the ports to the lower back of the machine, if at all possible, although I don't know if they can alter the board that way without a lot more engineering expense. The only other beef people had with the hardware itself was the lack of PCI expansion. This wouldn't be an issue at all if Apple called the new machine an iMac, since iMacs don't have PCI slots by design. But it would make a difference to those power users who truly want that ability - they would be better served with the microtower people like to talk about on this board. It shouldn't matter to most customers, though. (Perhaps they should make the cube a bit bigger - instead of 8 inches, 8.5 or 9 - in order to accommodate additional expansion options).
IV. Configurations and Final Thoughts
I would love to see the dream of the iMac Cubed come to pass. Apple would most likely preserve at least one configuration of the iMac in the short term as a contingency measure. If the iMac Cubed sells well, then Apple's bet will have paid off many times over. If not, they can easily revert to the iMac proper. It's useless for me to debate the true specifications of these hypothetical machines, so I won't even try. But the iMac Cubed(s) should have either highly clocked G3s, preferably G4s; the top configuration should have the super drive; they should have 32MB cards; they should have 256MB of RAM minimum.
We need a two-piece, low cost Mac, Apple. That's what customers are asking for. You don't need to necessarily call it an iMac, but this is what the market demands. The iMac Cubed would be really fit the bill. Everyone's buying Nintendo Game Cubes, so I doubt there's ill will inherent to the cube concept. In any case, I've ruminated quite enough for one early morning. It's up to Apple to do everything else.
I bet that the new iMac will NOT be essentially a Cube, but it WILL use all of the technology of the Cube -- namely packing everything into a very small form factor. This is assuming that the iMac will have an LCD monitor, of course, because sans CRT this computer should be small and light. Apple is not going to waste all of the R&D that went into the Cube, they're just going to use it in a different way. So yes, I'm placing my bet on the all-in-one form design.
"I understand computers, and cables, and plugs, and stuff."
That's where you're wrong, my friend.
- Pook</strong><hr></blockquote>
Joe Average according to me: "I can´t built my own PC but I know how to connect my VCR and TV and this new Cube iMac is much simpler than that".
Instruction sheet to the Cube iMac: Connect the electricity cable from the computer to the electricity plug in the wall, Connect it to the internet port (modem or ethernet) to the phone plug/cable modem, Connect the ADC from the screen to the Cube, connect the keyboard to the screen and connect the mouse to the keyboard. The user have to do one more thing. If he can´t do that or feels that it is just remotely difficult he can´t think abstract enough to operate a mouse.
Why is it that people here always think that anyone else is more stupid than themselves? JA don´t have to understand computers, cables, plugs and stuff. He just have to take the blue cable with the wide plug and put it in the screen and the computer.
First some comments on the original Cube. I bought my Cube after MWSF last year, choosing it over the TiBook. I put the difference into APPL stock (100 shares @ $18,50), when the stock value hits the asking price for a fully loaded TiBook I will convert the stock to a new TiBook.
My purchase of the Cube early this year was my return to the platform, (compelled by OSX), and with my first Apple in 15 years. My experience as a Wintel "Switcher" and Cube owner has been "nothing but net". OS 9 crashed on me a lot, but since OSX 10.0, that problem went away. One "kernel panic" in nearly nine months of use seems like smooth sailing after OS 9 and Windows. My end user experience has been most excellent, Case cracks? If I shine my desk lamp on the Cube in a certain way I can see a minute mold line. Poor Port placement? Not for me, my desk has a "knock-out" hole for cords that the Cube sits over and all the cords go directly down the hole in a neat bundle. Un-expandable? Well I put a Gigabyte of RAM and a WD Caviar 100 GB in it without and trouble. I have a Zip 250, a Sony CD burner, and DVcam firewired to it, and even a USB floppy drive. I even plan to mod it to dual 500's down the road. For me it's been very expandable.
Bringing back the Cube with the right specs and at the right price would show the stuff Apple is made of. After all, the Company itself is being re-born from it's failures of the '90's. The Cube is that "Digital Hub" that Apple needs to resurrect from the ashes of it's initial pricing policy. Give it a GHz Apollo, with integrated video (like the new iMac) to free the slot for optional cards (ie Sound Blaster or better yet, ATI "All in Wonder" TV card). Give it a big bad HD (like mine) and offer monitor bundles, ie "Crystal Clear Savings". This Phoenix would fly!
I don't think Apple will do a two part iMac. I vote with the Think Simple crowd - that's the whole essence of the iMac. Even separate speakers are out in my opinion - too many bits to lose or break . However, imagine a detachable screen which locks into the base unit without cables. That would keep it neat and robust; an optional cable could be provided for two part use.
My ideal two part Mac would feature a detachable wireless tablet. But this would be too expensive for an iMac (and current airport speeds would not give a good user experience anyway).
While the simplicity of set up was appealing to me when I purchased my iMac 400 DVSE, it was the small footprint and cleanliness of it that won me over.
Our iMac is located in our kitchen as space in our house does not allow for an office. It had to look good and be compact in its use of space. I am willing to bet that this is not an uncommon need for others as well.
I waited to buy my iMac when I first heard of firewire. When it finally came out with it, I bought it during the keynote.
We have needed a second computer desperately in our house for quite some time. I have not purchased another iMac because I keep waiting for a G4 which everyone claims was made more for OS X than the G3. (OS X rules.) I have also been waiting for the LCD, an even more compact format.
I believe I am not the only one who has been holding off, almost ready to burst to buy another iMac. Even Apple has been stalling forever with the color changes and the upgrades to speed and hard drive space. LCD prices had to come down.
Bring on the new, smaller iMac in a 2 piece model. (iMac and keyboard). Does this mean a sprawling system like the cube was too complex for me to setup because it has a billion cords and connections?
Think what you want Anders, but I think you will like the new iMac as well even if it is AIO.
<strong>You see the cube and see simplicity. Joe Average sees things to plug together, just like that dag-nabbit VCR he can't get to work. Remember the first iMac commercial ever (link, anyone?). First it showed a PC with wires upon wires upon wires. Then it showed an iMac, with a single power plug. Apple has sold 5 million (right?) iMacs under their current strategy. Why, oh why, would they abandon this?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Because although Apple sold a great number of iMacs, the product had absolutely no effect on market share. If 90% of consumers are happy to put up with a tangle of wires and spending days on hold to tech support when they buy a Windows PC, then it's hardly a crime for Apple to abandon the "simplicity" of the iMac.
Consumers want features and value. If the design and simplicity mattered that much, Apple would hold a much larger share of the market.
What Apple can do is try to offer features (I'm doubtful about value), and use every weapon in its arsenal to make the set up process simple.
I think poor pscates original point has been hijacked by discussion of a "cube" design, which has then become a discussion about a Cube reprisal.
Forgetting about that, a simple little box which holds all the bits which sit under the current iMac's monitor seems very sensible to me. It doesn't have to be a cube. Add color-coded cables and the excellent set up cards provided with the current iMacs, and I don't see that the process is going to be much tougher for consumers.
A separate display would also open up future potential for further purchases - after a few months of use, customers may choose to return to the Apple Store and get a larger display, something iMac users have never been able to do, and something that for most consumers is unlikely to buy a new computer just for that reason.
And besides, if the rumored codenames "Kiva" and "Revolution" are anything like right, it sounds like this thing may be spherical rather than cuboid.
I'm not going to make any guesses about whether it'll be two-piece or all-in-one. All I know is that despite the collection of Apple hardware currently available to me, I'm going to want one really badly.
I think we'll see a bigger push towards the iPod for sure. Just think, slap 2 USB, one FireWire and monitor port and you've got a pocket HardDrive... OK, it's not really that simple, but that thing does have the potential!
You're right. Only the Tandy Radio Shack (TRS) I think COLOR computer, was truly one piece. Keyboard was rigidly attached to the monitor/CPU case, and only a POWER CORD, no brick. No MOUSE, either. Just big ol' 8" floppies!
I'd like to see a unit like the PS2- VCR shaped with a stand to have it vertical if you like.
No monitor bundling so it can be bought cheap and used in rack mounted servers as well as fitting nicely into home theater system.
ADC, firewire, USB, airport, and all the necessary i/o for home theater integration. Alternatively the latter could be supplied by a firewire peripheral.
Comments
You see the cube and see simplicity. Joe Average sees things to plug together, just like that dag-nabbit VCR he can't get to work. Remember the first iMac commercial ever (link, anyone?). First it showed a PC with wires upon wires upon wires. Then it showed an iMac, with a single power plug. Apple has sold 5 million (right?) iMacs under their current strategy. Why, oh why, would they abandon this?
The average consumer becomes exponentially more confused with each additional choice. Keep it simple, make it competitive, and the iMacs will sell.
So, pscates, I am officially on record: new iMac will be a one-piece unit. If you are right, I'll change my name to "pscates proved Pook wrong."
- Pook
The imac is very simple and portable. I think they will keep it that way. Especially if it is part of or is the hub.
And yes, it will be a 2 piece unit. Imac + Keyboard.
[ 12-30-2001: Message edited by: kcmac ]</p>
Oh well.
Okay, then...I don't know WHAT in the hell this new iMac is going to look like. It'll be gorgeous and cool to the fifth power, I'm sure.
Just one more week.
I just have a lot more riding on this than past keynotes because I'm actually looking to buy this time, so I feel a stronger connection/pull to next week's Expo because it may end up playing a major role in me parting with $1500 of my money!
I can't believe a photo or line drawing or SOMETHING hasn't been leaked. This has possibly been one of Apple's best kept secrets because there's NOTHING firm or even halfway substantial on it.
For the record (and as a response to a few of you in this thread), I don't think there needs to be a THIRD desktop model to muddy the waters and occupy so weird "no man's land" between the iMac and the G4 towers.
If done right, the iMac could (and should) fill the roll nicely of consumer/education/prosumer/desktop publisher/student/gamer/soccer mom/grandparent/newbie computer, with specs and features that more than meet the need for these types of users.
I don't see the need to have tons of different iMacs, differentiated by colors, MHz, etc.
The best thing Apple has done in a LONG time, IMO, is what they did to the iBook last spring: one model, 1 clock speed, same I/O, etc. and simply differentiate the line by optical drive.
That made it SO easy for non-Apple geeks to figure out exactly which one they wanted: "Do I want a DVD or a CD burner? OR, do I want both?".
BAM! Genius.
I hope some of that thinking finds its way to the new iMac.
When the iMac first came out, it was (for a few months, anyway) one model, one color, etc.
I think THAT'S what appeals to people, especially newbies and the traditional iMac customer. Granted the color thing helped and was certainly cool, but that's pretty much faded now, as we all know.
I would love to see simply a FAST and POWERFUL iMac unveiled next week that pretty much comes in only one or two models: CD-ROM and Combo Drive. Why make people choose between watching movies or burning CDs? Those are both cool, useful things. I say give them a basic CD-ROM drive, or a full-tilt combo drive, with several hundred bucks separating the two.
For people who already own external, FAST (16x and above) CD writers and who already have a nice DVD player hooked to their TV in the den, they could simply get a powerful new iMac and not pay for a drive(s) they don't need and won't use.
Then for guys like me who a) have neither a burner OR a DVD player and b) love the idea of everything being neat, clutter-free and self-contained, we can pop for the combo drive model. Given a choice, most people probably WILL go for a combo drive.
They're not even making it an option in the TiBooks now...it's simply the stock drive!
But this new iMac should have the same fast processor, same zippy video card that FINALLY will appeal somewhat to someone who does the game thing, generous hard drive space, etc.
They have to come out swinging next Monday morning because, IMO, the iMac has been on life support and totally languishing for a year or so now, given only cosmetic and VERY minor enhancements.
They need to pull the cover off something next week that honestly makes every damn one of us here go "OHMIGOD...I don't even NEED an iMac, but I'm buying one of those things TODAY!!!"
I hope all this waiting and hoping and speculating will not have been in vain.
BTW, I'm only mildly conceding that the new iMac won't be two-piece. I reserve the right to hold on to a little piece of my wish/idea...just in case.
That made it SO easy for non-Apple geeks to figure out exactly which one they wanted: "Do I want a DVD or a CD burner? OR, do I want both?".
<hr></blockquote>
Yup. that's what made it sooooo easy for me to buy my iBook. I hope Apple does let this carry over to the iMac. The big challenge however, will be the low cost, low end model.
I can't wait to see what they come up with. I believe it will be a knock out. If it is, I will be ordering while he is still giving the keynote!
If this is true we should rediscover the "Are all americans stupid"-thread.
And about the first iMac commercial: It isn´t so much about one computer with all in it, but more about many different boxes (the Cube as iMac should come with a bundled 15 inch) and registrations codes, difficult OS aso.
<strong>If this is true we should rediscover the "Are all americans stupid"-thread.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
I think the big problem with the average american is choice. They (we?) have too many choices, give them 1 iMac speed and they just have to choose the drive and ram/hd. Then their choice will be a lot easyer regardless of whether or not it is all-in-one, or a cube.
You are right, the fact that there are 1 or 2 or 5 more cables is moot. The problem is on any other PC you would probably have to configure the things you are plugging in, on a mac it is all done for you...
The only problem with more cables is cable clutter, which Steve hates. So I dono if a 2 piece iMac will happen.
-Paul
"I understand computers, and cables, and plugs, and stuff."
That's where you're wrong, my friend.
- Pook
I. Concerning separate CPUs
It is true that the iMac was very successful due in part to the all-in-one nature of the machine. The case design is still pretty unique, and it is very effective for many buyers. There is no question that any successor to the iMac would need to have an easy setup path.
At the same time, however, while a number of first time users still like the current iMac, it has obviously dropped off in the sales department. The design of the current iMac was a draw because of its ease of use but also due to its novelty. It was a neat looking machine that caught everyone's attention, and it served its purpose. But a larger percentage of the customer base isn't looking for the iMac type of machine anymore; it's no longer sought after for a couple of reasons.
I'm very close to the consumer side of the Apple equation, and the customers are expressing these concerns (in descending order of importance): 1) No choice in monitor size (the iMac screen is too small for most.); 2) Lack of G4 processor; 3) Lack of bang for buck (psychological effect of not having a bulky tower to look at). Listen, I realize that the AIO nature of the iMac is a great feature for some, just not for enough people. A bunch of the computer shoppers out there are not as ignorant as one may believe; they often state point blank that the iMac's screen is too small and that there's no G4. People want a low cost G4 with a choice of monitors.
II. The iMac Cubed?
So now that we've established the fact that there is strong market demand (relative to Apple sales) for a two-piece iMac containing a G4 and monitor choice, let's look at the feasibility of that computer being the reborn Cube. I definitely like this idea. As a casing concept, the Cube was definitely popular. We all liked the look of the Cube (well, most of us, anyway). Price dictates market realities, though, and the Cube was simply positioned/priced improperly. We all said it the day it came out (you can even look back at the boards if there are archives): The system was just over priced.
People were very impressed with the cube and continued to look upon its design favorably even after it was discontinued. I know many admired one of the last display systems I saw until it was finally purchased. Additionally, I heard from sales managers that people came to retailers days after the discontinuation to ask about buying the Cube. There was demand for the system, and I think there would be great demand today if the system were reintroduced properly.
III. Counter Arguments
With all of this said, however, there are some very good points of contention against the re-introduction of the Cube. The number one issue is that it failed the first time around. I can see why Apple would be hesitant to reintroduce a machine that caused such a headache (poor sales, first major blunder of the Second Reign of Jobs, first quarterly loss of the Second Reign). On the other hand, Think Different shouldn't be an idle advertising slogan. I've illustrated why there's a need for the machine, and I don't think the fact that the first Cube flopped would deter Apple from going ahead with a new one if the company believed the risk would be outweighed by potential benefits. I believe it would be.
The next major problem is the additional complexities of more cording. ADC solves much of the worry here, except for that darn brick power supply. It sticks out like a sore thumb and just goes against any hopes for iMac like simplicity. When I talk to people about the iMac, I always plug its out-of-box simplicity, so it would be nice if the new iMac Cubed could consolidate that power supply in some way. Still, if Apple can't do so, customers will still find a way to set their new iMacs up. After all, as a number of others stated, many, many customers are hooking up those screwed over PCs they buy.
Putting the ports in such an odd place was a bad decision on the part of the original Cube designers. I suppose they didn't want to sacrifice the aesthetic appeal even a tiny bit, a definite case of form over function. They should move the ports to the lower back of the machine, if at all possible, although I don't know if they can alter the board that way without a lot more engineering expense. The only other beef people had with the hardware itself was the lack of PCI expansion. This wouldn't be an issue at all if Apple called the new machine an iMac, since iMacs don't have PCI slots by design. But it would make a difference to those power users who truly want that ability - they would be better served with the microtower people like to talk about on this board. It shouldn't matter to most customers, though. (Perhaps they should make the cube a bit bigger - instead of 8 inches, 8.5 or 9 - in order to accommodate additional expansion options).
IV. Configurations and Final Thoughts
I would love to see the dream of the iMac Cubed come to pass. Apple would most likely preserve at least one configuration of the iMac in the short term as a contingency measure. If the iMac Cubed sells well, then Apple's bet will have paid off many times over. If not, they can easily revert to the iMac proper. It's useless for me to debate the true specifications of these hypothetical machines, so I won't even try. But the iMac Cubed(s) should have either highly clocked G3s, preferably G4s; the top configuration should have the super drive; they should have 32MB cards; they should have 256MB of RAM minimum.
We need a two-piece, low cost Mac, Apple. That's what customers are asking for. You don't need to necessarily call it an iMac, but this is what the market demands. The iMac Cubed would be really fit the bill. Everyone's buying Nintendo Game Cubes, so I doubt there's ill will inherent to the cube concept. In any case, I've ruminated quite enough for one early morning. It's up to Apple to do everything else.
[ 12-31-2001: Message edited by: Big Mac ]</p>
Then again, what do I know
Well, they're not as smart as you danskjävlar! <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
<strong>Joe Average according to Anders:
"I understand computers, and cables, and plugs, and stuff."
That's where you're wrong, my friend.
- Pook</strong><hr></blockquote>
Joe Average according to me: "I can´t built my own PC but I know how to connect my VCR and TV and this new Cube iMac is much simpler than that".
Instruction sheet to the Cube iMac: Connect the electricity cable from the computer to the electricity plug in the wall, Connect it to the internet port (modem or ethernet) to the phone plug/cable modem, Connect the ADC from the screen to the Cube, connect the keyboard to the screen and connect the mouse to the keyboard. The user have to do one more thing. If he can´t do that or feels that it is just remotely difficult he can´t think abstract enough to operate a mouse.
Why is it that people here always think that anyone else is more stupid than themselves? JA don´t have to understand computers, cables, plugs and stuff. He just have to take the blue cable with the wide plug and put it in the screen and the computer.
First some comments on the original Cube. I bought my Cube after MWSF last year, choosing it over the TiBook. I put the difference into APPL stock (100 shares @ $18,50), when the stock value hits the asking price for a fully loaded TiBook I will convert the stock to a new TiBook.
My purchase of the Cube early this year was my return to the platform, (compelled by OSX), and with my first Apple in 15 years. My experience as a Wintel "Switcher" and Cube owner has been "nothing but net". OS 9 crashed on me a lot, but since OSX 10.0, that problem went away. One "kernel panic" in nearly nine months of use seems like smooth sailing after OS 9 and Windows. My end user experience has been most excellent, Case cracks? If I shine my desk lamp on the Cube in a certain way I can see a minute mold line. Poor Port placement? Not for me, my desk has a "knock-out" hole for cords that the Cube sits over and all the cords go directly down the hole in a neat bundle. Un-expandable? Well I put a Gigabyte of RAM and a WD Caviar 100 GB in it without and trouble. I have a Zip 250, a Sony CD burner, and DVcam firewired to it, and even a USB floppy drive. I even plan to mod it to dual 500's down the road. For me it's been very expandable.
Bringing back the Cube with the right specs and at the right price would show the stuff Apple is made of. After all, the Company itself is being re-born from it's failures of the '90's. The Cube is that "Digital Hub" that Apple needs to resurrect from the ashes of it's initial pricing policy. Give it a GHz Apollo, with integrated video (like the new iMac) to free the slot for optional cards (ie Sound Blaster or better yet, ATI "All in Wonder" TV card). Give it a big bad HD (like mine) and offer monitor bundles, ie "Crystal Clear Savings". This Phoenix would fly!
[ 12-31-2001: Message edited by: Aphelion ]</p>
My ideal two part Mac would feature a detachable wireless tablet. But this would be too expensive for an iMac (and current airport speeds would not give a good user experience anyway).
Our iMac is located in our kitchen as space in our house does not allow for an office. It had to look good and be compact in its use of space. I am willing to bet that this is not an uncommon need for others as well.
I waited to buy my iMac when I first heard of firewire. When it finally came out with it, I bought it during the keynote.
We have needed a second computer desperately in our house for quite some time. I have not purchased another iMac because I keep waiting for a G4 which everyone claims was made more for OS X than the G3. (OS X rules.) I have also been waiting for the LCD, an even more compact format.
I believe I am not the only one who has been holding off, almost ready to burst to buy another iMac. Even Apple has been stalling forever with the color changes and the upgrades to speed and hard drive space. LCD prices had to come down.
Bring on the new, smaller iMac in a 2 piece model. (iMac and keyboard). Does this mean a sprawling system like the cube was too complex for me to setup because it has a billion cords and connections?
Think what you want Anders, but I think you will like the new iMac as well even if it is AIO.
<strong>You see the cube and see simplicity. Joe Average sees things to plug together, just like that dag-nabbit VCR he can't get to work. Remember the first iMac commercial ever (link, anyone?). First it showed a PC with wires upon wires upon wires. Then it showed an iMac, with a single power plug. Apple has sold 5 million (right?) iMacs under their current strategy. Why, oh why, would they abandon this?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Because although Apple sold a great number of iMacs, the product had absolutely no effect on market share. If 90% of consumers are happy to put up with a tangle of wires and spending days on hold to tech support when they buy a Windows PC, then it's hardly a crime for Apple to abandon the "simplicity" of the iMac.
Consumers want features and value. If the design and simplicity mattered that much, Apple would hold a much larger share of the market.
What Apple can do is try to offer features (I'm doubtful about value), and use every weapon in its arsenal to make the set up process simple.
I think poor pscates original point has been hijacked by discussion of a "cube" design, which has then become a discussion about a Cube reprisal.
Forgetting about that, a simple little box which holds all the bits which sit under the current iMac's monitor seems very sensible to me. It doesn't have to be a cube. Add color-coded cables and the excellent set up cards provided with the current iMacs, and I don't see that the process is going to be much tougher for consumers.
A separate display would also open up future potential for further purchases - after a few months of use, customers may choose to return to the Apple Store and get a larger display, something iMac users have never been able to do, and something that for most consumers is unlikely to buy a new computer just for that reason.
And besides, if the rumored codenames "Kiva" and "Revolution" are anything like right, it sounds like this thing may be spherical rather than cuboid.
I'm not going to make any guesses about whether it'll be two-piece or all-in-one. All I know is that despite the collection of Apple hardware currently available to me, I'm going to want one really badly.
<strong>The cube was not two pieces, it was at least 6. (Monitor, cube, powerbrick, 2 speakers, keyboard.)
The imac is very simple and portable. I think they will keep it that way. Especially if it is part of or is the hub.
And yes, it will be a 2 piece unit. Imac + Keyboard.
[ 12-30-2001: Message edited by: kcmac ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
You're right. Only the Tandy Radio Shack (TRS) I think COLOR computer, was truly one piece. Keyboard was rigidly attached to the monitor/CPU case, and only a POWER CORD, no brick. No MOUSE, either. Just big ol' 8" floppies!
<a href="http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org/trs80iii/front.jpg"; target="_blank">http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org/trs80iii/front.jpg</a>;
[ 12-31-2001: Message edited by: JRC ]
[ 12-31-2001: Message edited by: JRC ]</p>
No monitor bundling so it can be bought cheap and used in rack mounted servers as well as fitting nicely into home theater system.
ADC, firewire, USB, airport, and all the necessary i/o for home theater integration. Alternatively the latter could be supplied by a firewire peripheral.
lcd, rounded on the bottom half, square on the top, with all the ports in back, and no fan.
and a G4. just a wild guess though.