The only thing I would improve it with would be a slightly bigger monitor (maybe even widescreen...how cool would that be?). The only reason I haven't ordered one already is because I've got a 17" LCD Studio Display attached to my Cube right now, and I don't think I'd be willing to give up the screen real-estate. I had the 15" Studio Display for about 3 days before I decided to take it back and get the 17", and it's infinitely better for my needs. Seems like they might do the same thing they did with the iBook, and release a "big brother" model in a couple of months? That's what I'm hoping for, at least...
At first, I must say I was diasppointed.. I was expecting them to show more than just a "lamp on steroids"... BUT, ten I began to look at it more and more.. The idea has grown on me SO much, and I have fallen in love... My ONLY complaint at this point is that they removed the microphone jack on this one as well... But, I am not the slightest bit concerned... I am very pleased with its design.. Apple took functionality as the number one priority, then of course looks... Just think about it.. Realtime video editing one a consumerlevel device.. A Matrox on either a PC or Mac can be had for just slightly under the price of the complete iMac. Try that on for size.
Oh please. A little on/off symbol on the plastic surface of the iMac would be "obtrusive" and "distracting"? Some of you people are so inane. If a power button on the front of a machine is OBTRUSIVE, what the hell is a Power button you have to reach around or move the whole computer just to get to?
Also, I don't often turn off my computer now that OS X works fairly well, but I don't like Apple dictating how/when I use my computer, if you think that's an excuse for a power button that's out of reach.
<strong>Oh please. A little on/off symbol on the plastic surface of the iMac would be "obtrusive" and "distracting"? Some of you people are so inane. If a power button on the front of a machine is OBTRUSIVE, what the hell is a Power button you have to reach around or move the whole computer just to get to?
Also, I don't often turn off my computer now that OS X works fairly well, but I don't like Apple dictating how/when I use my computer, if you think that's an excuse for a power button that's out of reach.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well, reaching around a 10" base to me is actually fairly easy, not sure how short you are.
And as an artist, yes, I single button on the front of the new iMac would indeed be "distracting and obtrusive". It;s has nothing to do with insane, it has to do with years of trainng in ARTS AND DESIGN.
<strong> My ONLY complaint at this point is that they removed the microphone jack on this one as well... </strong><hr></blockquote>
Are you sure about this? I thought the spec sheet stated that it had an analog audio input...nevermind, I just checked the specs on the Apple website. It says it has a built-in microphone...where in the heck is that on the machine?
2. Leave the power at the back but move the fierwire and USB ports to the side where they are accessable.
3. Give a 17" widescreen option and the ability to swing the screen to portrate.
4. I believe that the shipping memory is fixed and only one further dimm can be added. We need to be able to change both dimms to give a GB of memory if required.
5. Scrolling mouse and wireless keyboard.
I thnk these are all feesable changes and could easily happen as the model maturers, but for me the HD size is a real issue RIGHT NOW. For the time being I can live with everything else.
That design is awesome, I wouldn't change a thing. In my eyes Apple scored on this design.
Already I know two people at work who took one look at it and ordered one. This thing is going to be a hit. I even know a person using a beige G3, who had no interest in upgrading, they took one look at that iMac and ordered one.
Apple nailed it, no question about it. That thing looks dead cool...futuristic without trying too hard, stylish, and very functional.
I think the whole idea of the design is to juxtapose the rectangular display with the hemispherical base. It's a stunning contrast and keeps things dynamic. I love it.
[quote]And as an artist, yes, I single button on the front of the new iMac would indeed be "distracting and obtrusive". It;s has nothing to do with insane, it has to do with years of trainng in ARTS AND DESIGN.
<hr></blockquote>
Aren't the icons on your desktop then distracting? What about the letters on the keyboard? If a power button bugged me I think I would die if I saw a scratch anywhere.
The thing about Apple's design is that most likely they made the button flush with the case, therefore little or nothing to feel for when you reach your hand around. Minor quibble, but something that can be improved nonetheless.
I'd have liked to see more sharp edges and angles, but I can agree it doesn't fit in with the design scheme. I have to admit, it's growing on me. I'd never buy one, but I will certainly recommend it to friends and family. One design with angles that they could have used for the base is Shuttle's SV24 cube system which I think is very sleek, and is quite similiar to the cube but it packs some great features and has expandability beyond the iMac.
Yep! Put the processor, HD (2.5 inch), memory, optional Airport card and battery into the iMac monitor (touchscreen) - and it wouldn't be any thicker than the PowerBook G4.
Use the base (pod) of the iMac as a station for the CD-ROM/DVD, power supply, extra ports (USB, Firewire, Ethernet, Modem), etc. When attached, the pad (monitor) uses FireWire to communicate with the CD-ROM/DVD and to charge itself.
Granted, the iMac as it is right now is an engineering feat in and of itself!
I feel that the pictures aren't telling enough, I haven't actually seen one in person yet, but of all the pictures I've seen the thing APPEARS to have a monitor that is WAY bigger than the base, and it makes the whole thing look like the thing could tip over if hte monitor is pushed forward, but I saw a few picts that Really showed the proportions, and the more I see it the more I love it, Picturing it on my desk....that would be heaven! currently My iMac's power cord is puched up against a wall and the keyboard is slightly hanging off the desk, this iMac is awesome, everything about it is awesome, what would make it PERFECT for me would be if it had 5.1 channel surround, thats all everything else about it is just great
The one suggestion (which is old, but applied to the new form factor) is the wireless monitor pad thing. I do agree that this would be cool (stylus could be built into monitor, touchpad/sensitive screen, high speed wireless/Quartz remote terminal. A simple magnetic/latch at the back (connector would be an engineering challenge).
Use it at the desk or pick it up and take it to the living room. Truly a digital hub, with a cool remote option. I think this is the right idea for the webpad, to be honest. But I doubt they could get a whole computer in there (but maybe enough storage/2nd proc so you could take it with you as a simple PDA/pad).
Perhaps this is why Apple's doing so much dual-processor development now - to prepare the engineering for when the monitor can go on its own. Power consumption would be the largest issue.
Good idea for a med-future rev (I think the tech is still 3 years off, perhaps the OLED tech will assist power issues)
Still, everyone else is talking about "move the power button" and other tremendously minor issues. Not bad considering how divergent this design is from current and status-quo.
and ya know, all the little tweeks are just things that WE Ai geeks want, I'm sure half or more of hte people that buy the new iMac don't give HALF a shit about where the inputs and outputs and powerbuttons are, the one thing I want is 5.1 sound, and midi, especially midi inputs, because with midi inputs, then you have a computer that is the PERFECT hub, you can connect, synthesizers drum machines mixers, camcorders, mp3 players, digital cameras,PDAs, as well as all the other perihperals like external drives, hubs and all sorts of other cool stuffis, 5.1 sound would be cool just because thats its so cool having surround sound.
it would be great if apple could release a pro audio iMac including more 1/8 inch inputs 1/4 inch inputs and midi, then this computer would be the perfect computer for the home recordign artist that wants all in one desktop power without having to spend 3000 for a g4 tower
I'd like a bigger screen, a widscreen option, make the monitor go ALL the way around (this would solve the problem of the ports), make the monitor able to expand out of/into the "arm" to elongate it farther away from the computer.... Wireless Keyboard/mouse, scoll mouse, 5.1 surrouns sound, RGA output to TV, touch-screen display (WAY EXPENSIVE), wireless display (EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE).
Most of these are minor. One thing that has not been pointed out is the speed of the low end CDRW. That thing is really fast (24x I think!).
Will buy the DVD iBook soon (2 weeks or so, I wish they ahd a 14.1 version) and an iMac when I go away to college (even thogh I want my first tower to tinker with, this design is just too cool.) The same thing happned to me with the first iMac. I was goona get a tower, but the iMac just grabbed me. I got one on the first day! (then came wireless networking when I was ready to upgrade again [Cube was too expensive and I didnt want to have to buy a display]... Stupid iMacs)
Comments
<strong>The power/ports on the back is the ONLY thing I don't like...</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's a subtle hint...you're not supposed to turn the thing off!!!
My Mac hasn't been turned off for more than 10 minutes since installing OS X as my main OS. It's very lazy, it sleeps all the time.
EDIT: And I have a design idea: Make everything that's White...Black. Now close your eyes and picture it. How cool is that?
[ 01-08-2002: Message edited by: gordy ]</p>
Also, I don't often turn off my computer now that OS X works fairly well, but I don't like Apple dictating how/when I use my computer, if you think that's an excuse for a power button that's out of reach.
<strong>Oh please. A little on/off symbol on the plastic surface of the iMac would be "obtrusive" and "distracting"? Some of you people are so inane. If a power button on the front of a machine is OBTRUSIVE, what the hell is a Power button you have to reach around or move the whole computer just to get to?
Also, I don't often turn off my computer now that OS X works fairly well, but I don't like Apple dictating how/when I use my computer, if you think that's an excuse for a power button that's out of reach.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well, reaching around a 10" base to me is actually fairly easy, not sure how short you are.
And as an artist, yes, I single button on the front of the new iMac would indeed be "distracting and obtrusive". It;s has nothing to do with insane, it has to do with years of trainng in ARTS AND DESIGN.
<strong> My ONLY complaint at this point is that they removed the microphone jack on this one as well... </strong><hr></blockquote>
Are you sure about this? I thought the spec sheet stated that it had an analog audio input...nevermind, I just checked the specs on the Apple website. It says it has a built-in microphone...where in the heck is that on the machine?
[ 01-08-2002: Message edited by: Macintosh ]</p>
2. Leave the power at the back but move the fierwire and USB ports to the side where they are accessable.
3. Give a 17" widescreen option and the ability to swing the screen to portrate.
4. I believe that the shipping memory is fixed and only one further dimm can be added. We need to be able to change both dimms to give a GB of memory if required.
5. Scrolling mouse and wireless keyboard.
I thnk these are all feesable changes and could easily happen as the model maturers, but for me the HD size is a real issue RIGHT NOW. For the time being I can live with everything else.
Already I know two people at work who took one look at it and ordered one. This thing is going to be a hit. I even know a person using a beige G3, who had no interest in upgrading, they took one look at that iMac and ordered one.
Apple nailed it, no question about it. That thing looks dead cool...futuristic without trying too hard, stylish, and very functional.
I think the whole idea of the design is to juxtapose the rectangular display with the hemispherical base. It's a stunning contrast and keeps things dynamic. I love it.
<hr></blockquote>
Aren't the icons on your desktop then distracting? What about the letters on the keyboard? If a power button bugged me I think I would die if I saw a scratch anywhere.
The thing about Apple's design is that most likely they made the button flush with the case, therefore little or nothing to feel for when you reach your hand around. Minor quibble, but something that can be improved nonetheless.
I'd have liked to see more sharp edges and angles, but I can agree it doesn't fit in with the design scheme. I have to admit, it's growing on me. I'd never buy one, but I will certainly recommend it to friends and family. One design with angles that they could have used for the base is Shuttle's SV24 cube system which I think is very sleek, and is quite similiar to the cube but it packs some great features and has expandability beyond the iMac.
I refer to my sig picture...
E PLURIBUS UNIX
-----------------------------
I refer to my sig picture...
E PLURIBUS UNIX
---------------------------<hr></blockquote>
Yep! Put the processor, HD (2.5 inch), memory, optional Airport card and battery into the iMac monitor (touchscreen) - and it wouldn't be any thicker than the PowerBook G4.
Use the base (pod) of the iMac as a station for the CD-ROM/DVD, power supply, extra ports (USB, Firewire, Ethernet, Modem), etc. When attached, the pad (monitor) uses FireWire to communicate with the CD-ROM/DVD and to charge itself.
Granted, the iMac as it is right now is an engineering feat in and of itself!
The one suggestion (which is old, but applied to the new form factor) is the wireless monitor pad thing. I do agree that this would be cool (stylus could be built into monitor, touchpad/sensitive screen, high speed wireless/Quartz remote terminal. A simple magnetic/latch at the back (connector would be an engineering challenge).
Use it at the desk or pick it up and take it to the living room. Truly a digital hub, with a cool remote option. I think this is the right idea for the webpad, to be honest. But I doubt they could get a whole computer in there (but maybe enough storage/2nd proc so you could take it with you as a simple PDA/pad).
Perhaps this is why Apple's doing so much dual-processor development now - to prepare the engineering for when the monitor can go on its own. Power consumption would be the largest issue.
Good idea for a med-future rev (I think the tech is still 3 years off, perhaps the OLED tech will assist power issues)
Still, everyone else is talking about "move the power button" and other tremendously minor issues. Not bad considering how divergent this design is from current and status-quo.
:cool:
it would be great if apple could release a pro audio iMac including more 1/8 inch inputs 1/4 inch inputs and midi, then this computer would be the perfect computer for the home recordign artist that wants all in one desktop power without having to spend 3000 for a g4 tower
<strong>They nailed it, as far as I'm concerned.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I have to agree, for the most part.
I would like a wider screen... much wider.
I would like to have a USB and a Firewire port on the front, for easier access... but that would "mar" the design, so i don't know.
<strong>Well the base is what 10"'s or so. Is that too far to reach to? </strong><hr></blockquote>
Not to mention that there really is no need to ever turn the thing off.
I think my Snow iMac at home has been on for... 6 weeks? And i've restarted my iBook maybe 9 times since May.
My PowerMac at work has been running with no restarts even since i installed 10.1 and before that it was going ever since I installed 10.
The power button just isn't needed.
Most of these are minor. One thing that has not been pointed out is the speed of the low end CDRW. That thing is really fast (24x I think!).
Will buy the DVD iBook soon (2 weeks or so, I wish they ahd a 14.1 version) and an iMac when I go away to college (even thogh I want my first tower to tinker with, this design is just too cool.) The same thing happned to me with the first iMac. I was goona get a tower, but the iMac just grabbed me. I got one on the first day! (then came wireless networking when I was ready to upgrade again [Cube was too expensive and I didnt want to have to buy a display]... Stupid iMacs)
-Paul