I really hate how the popular PC makers excessively long pages of options. I'm very involved with technology and I find it overwhelming, I can't imagine what the average consumer thinks.
I don't think it's that hard to just buy the package deals and leave it alone. Those that want a little customization can do so if they like.
I just don't get it, why use a card reader when you can directly connect your camera to your computer??
In my experience, card readers are a lot faster for transfers than cameras. There are three mini-USB connectors and if I grab the wrong one, it might not work. I've only used three or four cameras, so my experience may not reflect the general case.
I can see it both ways. It would affect the clean lines of the case in some form - and perhaps in the past customers weren't looking for such a thing in the past.
But i think over 2006, the market has changed. From my point of view, digital cameras and software such as Aperture have really matured through 2006 to the point that consumer digital photography is a real mainstream thing.
In the past, it was arguably the league of the PowerMac for large scale photography editing/management and the iMac as perhaps just the consumer computer that can make do, now I dont see that being the case as much. The current iMac and future versions have plenty of power to deal with RAW images and large files. Making that last little step of a built in card reader would be neat.
Hell, it'd be nifty if brought out a card reading keyboard. A few slots in the side that faces the computer would just be the business . . . admittedly you'd be wanting the wired usb2 keyboard for transfer speed, but it would be nice.
Yeah, my attention on the screen has always made the chin's appearance inconsequential.
That's the most practical redesign idea I've read in this thread so far, especially if it's easily accessible. Certainly a smart way to encourage customers to use Time Machine (or other backup software, for that matter) than if external drives are required.
Imho, an external drive is highly recommended. I know of one person with a pc that had both internal hard drives fail simultaneously due to an electrical short of some kind so I back up to both an second internal hard drive AND an external hard drive PLUS I back up to a second external hard drive once a month (or more often depending) and store it in another location. The situation I mention may be extremely unlikely, but I personally don't want to chance it. Just mho.
I agree, though a second internal drive dedicated to Time Machine may be the only solution for people who won't use external drives or do sufficient backups for various reasons and excuses. Those of us using external drives could find other uses for it or choose not to get one if it were optional (preferably).
Maybe Apple will have more to offer "home" users storage-wise than just the AE's new AirPort Disk that we won't know about until Leopard and Time Machine are released though I kind of doubt it.
I agree, I think Apple wants us to think of the iMac as a Home Theater computer.
With that said, my guess is the new iMac will be...
1) Black
2) Chinless
3) Have full height stereo speaker grills on the two sides of the screen.
I think #1 may be an option just like for the MacBook (but I bet white will remain as well). I agree with #2, but I would be very surprised to see #3. Apple loves spareness and simplicity and I can't seem them putting visible speaker grills on the face of their iMacs. Just my opinion though (obviously!)
I'm not keen on having a "good/better/best" method. I really hate how the popular PC makers excessively long pages of options. I'm very involved with technology and I find it overwhelming, I can't imagine what the average consumer thinks.
I'd agree... spec'ing out a Dell is exhausting. They need to simplify/streamline that process by quite a lot.
By the same token, Apple has gone a little too far the other way. They're closer to the mark than Dell is, but their options cupboard is a bit bare. \
In response to those questioning the servicability of the iSight iMacs, you're spot on. I work at a third-party Apple retailer and service center, and have repaired more than my fair share of those machines. Not fun.
The innards of the iMac G5 (20-inch) and iMac G5 (20" ALS):
And finally the innards of the iMac G5 (20" iSight):
Now, these are screeners from my service manuals, so please excuse the bad quality, but I think many of you might get the picture. Not to mention, that 20" iSight picture is AFTER the hard part, which is just getting the front bezel off. You need a pair of credit-cards (or equivalent plastic shims) to jam into the rear fan just right to release the clips, at which point the bezel comes off. Easier said than done, I assure you. After that, comes the tedious task of carefully unsticking the EMI shielding tape that covers the inside of the entire "chin" and goes around the outside of the LCD. Again, bleh. After that comes the journey of inserting a T10 driver into a tiny hole, unscrewing and magnetically retrieving a screw through a hole that seems smaller than the screwhead itself. And that needs to happen successfully about four times before the LCD comes off. If you slip up and loose the screw from the end of the driver, good luck getting it again. Continue to remove the panel and look around for it after you can actually see.
I absolutely love the internal design of the pre-camera iMac G5's, however. Every part of that machine can be easily accessed in about 10 minutes, which is very short for the compact design.
All in all, for a tech anyway, no-camera > camera.
I absolutely love the internal design of the pre-camera iMac G5's, however. Every part of that machine can be easily accessed in about 10 minutes, which is very short for the compact design.
I think #1 may be an option just like for the MacBook (but I bet white will remain as well). I agree with #2, but I would be very surprised to see #3. Apple loves spareness and simplicity and I can't seem them putting visible speaker grills on the face of their iMacs. Just my opinion though (obviously!)
Agreed, they place them on the whiners most populair feature of the current iMac, pointing down like it is now.
The same place where most TFT televisions have them: under the screen.
...a second internal drive dedicated to Time Machine may be the only solution for people who won't use external drives or do sufficient backups for various reasons and excuses.
and are by that very fact LOOKING for trouble
of course if their data isnt important... what do i care
I am super excited about the iMac face lift. I was supposed to get on for my birthday last year (April 28th), but since my dad's job had gone downhill a little bit I had to wait and we I am still waiting..
Through all the furious waiting and angerment i have been through now i think that waiting always ends up being the best thing. When the 24" iMac came out i had my eye on that and now that there will be a new face lift and supposedly a new Dual Core chip... the new iMacs will be just teardrops from HEAVEN!
And also i have heard that this face lift will take place in April because many stores are running low on stock of current mac models so doesn't that mean there should be an update soon?
Here's an interesting article on Apple's philosophy about designing systems and products vs Microsoft and the PC industry. The article starts with a product from a totally different company, then moves on.
Not all time poor people have to be rich in money, however. Just keep that in mind.
Interesting reading. I think the Time Poor / Time Rich concept is a little simplistic (as you said) but it does give us a different way to look at the differences; it almost approaches it as a cultural difference.
Most of the people on this board will assume that Apple does it right and therefore MS does it wrong. Sometimes it is worthwhile to consider that Apple does it right for us but that MS is doing it right for others, no mater how insufficient or distastefull it may seem to us.
In response to those questioning the servicability of the iSight iMacs, you're spot on. I work at a third-party Apple retailer and service center, and have repaired more than my fair share of those machines. Not fun.
Unfortunately, it seems that marketing departments and sales people are only interested in pushing products out the door and ringing up the cash register. All service issues afterwards are not their problem. I've seen this all the time at stores like CompUSA. The slick talking salesmen tell customers everything they want to hear: Buy this product and if you have any problems, you'll be first in line at the service department! You'll get your computer back the same day! They can give you a free loaner computer, etc...
The salesmen do this because they are not the ones who have to spend time fixing the damn things. There is no sense of accountability from sales and marketing people. So they think that they can just make wild promises to every customer they talk to. How would things change if your retailer/service center made the sales people repair the computers that they push onto customers? How about if Apple made their hardware designers work in the repair shops on a regular basis? Would the hardware designers be afraid to show their faces in the repair shop, knowing all the trouble that they cause for technicians? At least the other technicians would know whose cars to scrape with a key and throw eggs at.
I am super excited about the iMac face lift. I was supposed to get on for my birthday last year (April 28th), but since my dad's job had gone downhill a little bit I had to wait and we I am still waiting..
Through all the furious waiting and angerment i have been through now i think that waiting always ends up being the best thing. When the 24" iMac came out i had my eye on that and now that there will be a new face lift and supposedly a new Dual Core chip... the new iMacs will be just teardrops from HEAVEN!
And also i have heard that this face lift will take place in April because many stores are running low on stock of current mac models so doesn't that mean there should be an update soon?
Our store has gone to stocking only one of each iMac at a time (we're in a small city, we rarely sell more than one of each model per day). Mostly because, knowing Apple, the upgrade will come when no one expects it, and we don't want to get stuck with dozens of outdated machines.
Comments
I really hate how the popular PC makers excessively long pages of options. I'm very involved with technology and I find it overwhelming, I can't imagine what the average consumer thinks.
I don't think it's that hard to just buy the package deals and leave it alone. Those that want a little customization can do so if they like.
In my experience, card readers are a lot faster for transfers than cameras. There are three mini-USB connectors and if I grab the wrong one, it might not work. I've only used three or four cameras, so my experience may not reflect the general case.
But i think over 2006, the market has changed. From my point of view, digital cameras and software such as Aperture have really matured through 2006 to the point that consumer digital photography is a real mainstream thing.
In the past, it was arguably the league of the PowerMac for large scale photography editing/management and the iMac as perhaps just the consumer computer that can make do, now I dont see that being the case as much. The current iMac and future versions have plenty of power to deal with RAW images and large files. Making that last little step of a built in card reader would be neat.
Hell, it'd be nifty if brought out a card reading keyboard. A few slots in the side that faces the computer would just be the business . . . admittedly you'd be wanting the wired usb2 keyboard for transfer speed, but it would be nice.
* Keep dreaming *
Yeah, my attention on the screen has always made the chin's appearance inconsequential.
That's the most practical redesign idea I've read in this thread so far, especially if it's easily accessible. Certainly a smart way to encourage customers to use Time Machine (or other backup software, for that matter) than if external drives are required.
Imho, an external drive is highly recommended. I know of one person with a pc that had both internal hard drives fail simultaneously due to an electrical short of some kind so I back up to both an second internal hard drive AND an external hard drive PLUS I back up to a second external hard drive once a month (or more often depending) and store it in another location. The situation I mention may be extremely unlikely, but I personally don't want to chance it. Just mho.
Imho, an external drive is highly recommended.
I agree, though a second internal drive dedicated to Time Machine may be the only solution for people who won't use external drives or do sufficient backups for various reasons and excuses. Those of us using external drives could find other uses for it or choose not to get one if it were optional (preferably).
Maybe Apple will have more to offer "home" users storage-wise than just the AE's new AirPort Disk that we won't know about until Leopard and Time Machine are released though I kind of doubt it.
I agree, I think Apple wants us to think of the iMac as a Home Theater computer.
With that said, my guess is the new iMac will be...
1) Black
2) Chinless
3) Have full height stereo speaker grills on the two sides of the screen.
I think #1 may be an option just like for the MacBook (but I bet white will remain as well). I agree with #2, but I would be very surprised to see #3. Apple loves spareness and simplicity and I can't seem them putting visible speaker grills on the face of their iMacs. Just my opinion though (obviously!)
I'm not keen on having a "good/better/best" method. I really hate how the popular PC makers excessively long pages of options. I'm very involved with technology and I find it overwhelming, I can't imagine what the average consumer thinks.
I'd agree... spec'ing out a Dell is exhausting. They need to simplify/streamline that process by quite a lot.
By the same token, Apple has gone a little too far the other way. They're closer to the mark than Dell is, but their options cupboard is a bit bare.
.
as long as the 20" has the same price of the 17" I am fine with that.
20" is the new 17"!
I think you're right about that. LCD monitors are getting so cheap now that I think some version of the 20" will be the new "educational" version.
The innards of the iMac G5 (20-inch) and iMac G5 (20" ALS):
And finally the innards of the iMac G5 (20" iSight):
Now, these are screeners from my service manuals, so please excuse the bad quality, but I think many of you might get the picture. Not to mention, that 20" iSight picture is AFTER the hard part, which is just getting the front bezel off. You need a pair of credit-cards (or equivalent plastic shims) to jam into the rear fan just right to release the clips, at which point the bezel comes off. Easier said than done, I assure you. After that, comes the tedious task of carefully unsticking the EMI shielding tape that covers the inside of the entire "chin" and goes around the outside of the LCD. Again, bleh. After that comes the journey of inserting a T10 driver into a tiny hole, unscrewing and magnetically retrieving a screw through a hole that seems smaller than the screwhead itself. And that needs to happen successfully about four times before the LCD comes off. If you slip up and loose the screw from the end of the driver, good luck getting it again. Continue to remove the panel and look around for it after you can actually see.
I absolutely love the internal design of the pre-camera iMac G5's, however. Every part of that machine can be easily accessed in about 10 minutes, which is very short for the compact design.
All in all, for a tech anyway, no-camera > camera.
I absolutely love the internal design of the pre-camera iMac G5's, however. Every part of that machine can be easily accessed in about 10 minutes, which is very short for the compact design.
And it looks prettier, too (IMO).
Thanks for the informative post!
should get one of these:
http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Item...s_USB_1GB.aspx
splits in half and plugs directly into a usb port, I use one for my camera and it's great!
stu
I think #1 may be an option just like for the MacBook (but I bet white will remain as well). I agree with #2, but I would be very surprised to see #3. Apple loves spareness and simplicity and I can't seem them putting visible speaker grills on the face of their iMacs. Just my opinion though (obviously!)
Agreed, they place them on the whiners most populair feature of the current iMac, pointing down like it is now.
The same place where most TFT televisions have them: under the screen.
The chin stays
I am hoping for an increase in the number of USB ports though, cause 3 is way too few...
OOOOHHH YES!!!!
since the Mini already has FOUR!! i dont see why the ore expensive iMac should have one less... makes no sense.
...a second internal drive dedicated to Time Machine may be the only solution for people who won't use external drives or do sufficient backups for various reasons and excuses.
and are by that very fact LOOKING for trouble
of course if their data isnt important... what do i care
Through all the furious waiting and angerment i have been through now i think that waiting always ends up being the best thing. When the 24" iMac came out i had my eye on that and now that there will be a new face lift and supposedly a new Dual Core chip... the new iMacs will be just teardrops from HEAVEN!
And also i have heard that this face lift will take place in April because many stores are running low on stock of current mac models so doesn't that mean there should be an update soon?
Told ya, I'm a lurker, ex-a different username... you probably know who I really am.
Shhh.. let's keep it secret for now. 8) 8) 8)
ummm, have you been posting from your old username about lurking with a new name?
If so, you 're not trying too hard to keep it a secret...
Told ya, I'm a lurker, ex-a different username... you probably know who I really am.
Shhh.. let's keep it secret for now. 8) 8) 8)
Here's an interesting article on Apple's philosophy about designing systems and products vs Microsoft and the PC industry. The article starts with a product from a totally different company, then moves on.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/16/maga...ce=yahoo_quote
This next one gives another view of the same thing.
http://www.blackfriarsinc.com/blog/2...t-marketing-it
Not all time poor people have to be rich in money, however. Just keep that in mind.
Interesting reading. I think the Time Poor / Time Rich concept is a little simplistic (as you said) but it does give us a different way to look at the differences; it almost approaches it as a cultural difference.
Most of the people on this board will assume that Apple does it right and therefore MS does it wrong. Sometimes it is worthwhile to consider that Apple does it right for us but that MS is doing it right for others, no mater how insufficient or distastefull it may seem to us.
In response to those questioning the servicability of the iSight iMacs, you're spot on. I work at a third-party Apple retailer and service center, and have repaired more than my fair share of those machines. Not fun.
Unfortunately, it seems that marketing departments and sales people are only interested in pushing products out the door and ringing up the cash register. All service issues afterwards are not their problem. I've seen this all the time at stores like CompUSA. The slick talking salesmen tell customers everything they want to hear: Buy this product and if you have any problems, you'll be first in line at the service department! You'll get your computer back the same day! They can give you a free loaner computer, etc...
The salesmen do this because they are not the ones who have to spend time fixing the damn things. There is no sense of accountability from sales and marketing people. So they think that they can just make wild promises to every customer they talk to. How would things change if your retailer/service center made the sales people repair the computers that they push onto customers? How about if Apple made their hardware designers work in the repair shops on a regular basis? Would the hardware designers be afraid to show their faces in the repair shop, knowing all the trouble that they cause for technicians? At least the other technicians would know whose cars to scrape with a key and throw eggs at.
I am super excited about the iMac face lift. I was supposed to get on for my birthday last year (April 28th), but since my dad's job had gone downhill a little bit I had to wait and we I am still waiting..
Through all the furious waiting and angerment i have been through now i think that waiting always ends up being the best thing. When the 24" iMac came out i had my eye on that and now that there will be a new face lift and supposedly a new Dual Core chip... the new iMacs will be just teardrops from HEAVEN!
And also i have heard that this face lift will take place in April because many stores are running low on stock of current mac models so doesn't that mean there should be an update soon?
Our store has gone to stocking only one of each iMac at a time (we're in a small city, we rarely sell more than one of each model per day). Mostly because, knowing Apple, the upgrade will come when no one expects it, and we don't want to get stuck with dozens of outdated machines.