Is the iMac ....
Morphing into an 'smart' HDTV?
I was looking at photos of the new iMac and it struck me; the iMac is starting to resemble my HDTV. It's got a glossy screen like my plasma and if the brushed aluminum was black, it would look just like my plasma. Also telling is the new keyboard design which seems to be paving the way towards interaction at a distance.
It's not there yet but I wonder if that is where it's heading. If front row were improved then maybe Apple could succeed where Windows Media Center failed.
What do you all think?
I was looking at photos of the new iMac and it struck me; the iMac is starting to resemble my HDTV. It's got a glossy screen like my plasma and if the brushed aluminum was black, it would look just like my plasma. Also telling is the new keyboard design which seems to be paving the way towards interaction at a distance.
It's not there yet but I wonder if that is where it's heading. If front row were improved then maybe Apple could succeed where Windows Media Center failed.
What do you all think?
Comments
If front row were improved then maybe Apple could succeed where Windows Media Center failed.
Front Row is improved in Leopard but that won't make the iMac into a media center because people generally have TVs aleady. Media centers will always be headless because of this.
The Apple TV isn't good enough for the price so Apple need to take it and the Mini and make a proper media center with a DVD player and TV tuner for the £200-300 asking price.
Then they need to make a proper desktop Mac in place of the Mini.
In price it would go:
Apple TV (media purposes) > Mac (average Joe/gamer/prosumer) > iMac (niche) > Mac Pro (professional)
Front Row is improved in Leopard but that won't make the iMac into a media center because people generally have TVs aleady. Media centers will always be headless because of this.
The Apple TV isn't good enough for the price so Apple need to take it and the Mini and make a proper media center with a DVD player and TV tuner for the £200-300 asking price.
Then they need to make a proper desktop Mac in place of the Mini.
In price it would go:
Apple TV (media purposes) > Mac (average Joe/gamer/prosumer) > iMac (niche) > Mac Pro (professional)
I don't see this happening today but in say 2 years. It seems to me that the iMac features keep moving closer to an HDTV.
1) 16:9 aspect ratio
2) Increasing display size while dropping the smaller sizes for dubious reasons. Would a 17" iMac really be unacceptable?
3) Mobile Keyboard. The new bluetooth keyboard is designed to be used from a distance from the display. Why? So it can be used while sitting on a sofa?
4) Focus on thinner and thinner. So that the can be hung in areas like HDTVs?
5) Glossy display. Why? Perhaps because this is the display of many hdtvs.
6) The physical appearance is looking more like an HDTV than a computer. If it were 36" or greater it would be easily mistaken for an HDTV.
I don't see this happening today but in say 2 years. It seems to me that the iMac features keep moving closer to an HDTV.
1) 16:9 aspect ratio
2) Increasing display size while dropping the smaller sizes for dubious reasons. Would a 17" iMac really be unacceptable?
3) Mobile Keyboard. The new bluetooth keyboard is designed to be used from a distance from the display. Why? So it can be used while sitting on a sofa?
4) Focus on thinner and thinner. So that the can be hung in areas like HDTVs?
5) Glossy display. Why? Perhaps because this is the display of many hdtvs.
6) The physical appearance is looking more like an HDTV than a computer. If it were 36" or greater it would be easily mistaken for an HDTV.
The problem with that is that if the iMac gets much bigger than 30 inches, it's too big to be a computer. If it gets much bigger, it completely disrupts the desktop environment (sitting at a desk, working on the computer). If there is a Mac-TV, it'll be a separate product.
The problem with that is that if the iMac gets much bigger than 30 inches, it's too big to be a computer. If it gets much bigger, it completely disrupts the desktop environment (sitting at a desk, working on the computer). If there is a Mac-TV, it'll be a separate product.
I see your points but again look where it seems to be heading. I guess the next imac update will tell the tale. If theyt keep pusing the size up then I think they will try to morph the iMac into a 'smart' HDTV. Some of the design choices with the new iMac however are quite puzzling to me. It seems to point in a different direction. Perhaps I'm just over-thinking this thing.