Photos of Apple's new iMac and ultra-thin keyboards
Although branded as an all-new iMac, the new aluminum model is a subtler evolution of the white all-in-one it replaces rather than the overhaul seen with the leap to the iMac G5 in 2004.
Beyond the metal enclosure, the most obvious changes are the glossy, glass-based LCD display with a black, plastic frame and the matte black plastic at the rear of the computer -- both of which are conspicuously designed to mimic cosmetic touches on the iPhone. The cabinet itself is exactly a third of an inch thick at its narrowest point, but tapers towards the back to help vent heat towards the back of the casing.
Equally on show at the event is Apple's first major redesign of the company's wired and wireless keyboards. The ultra-thin design, which is available as a stand-alone item from Apple's online store, is also aluminum uses notebook-like keys with a flat surface similar to that of the MacBook.
And unlike previous wired and wireless pairings, the physical layouts are different: the Bluetooth-based wireless model abandoning the number pad and extra function keys in favor of a more compact shape for media centers. It also scraps the side USB ports for battery access slots.
Both versions overlay the traditional F-keys with dedicated media functions such as pausing music and invoking Dashboard or Expose. A Fn key is used to modify the keys back to their traditional roles. Conspicuously, the Apple logo is now removed from both of the Command keys.
Beyond the metal enclosure, the most obvious changes are the glossy, glass-based LCD display with a black, plastic frame and the matte black plastic at the rear of the computer -- both of which are conspicuously designed to mimic cosmetic touches on the iPhone. The cabinet itself is exactly a third of an inch thick at its narrowest point, but tapers towards the back to help vent heat towards the back of the casing.
Equally on show at the event is Apple's first major redesign of the company's wired and wireless keyboards. The ultra-thin design, which is available as a stand-alone item from Apple's online store, is also aluminum uses notebook-like keys with a flat surface similar to that of the MacBook.
And unlike previous wired and wireless pairings, the physical layouts are different: the Bluetooth-based wireless model abandoning the number pad and extra function keys in favor of a more compact shape for media centers. It also scraps the side USB ports for battery access slots.
Both versions overlay the traditional F-keys with dedicated media functions such as pausing music and invoking Dashboard or Expose. A Fn key is used to modify the keys back to their traditional roles. Conspicuously, the Apple logo is now removed from both of the Command keys.
Comments
I can't believe the wireless keyboard doesn't have a number pad!! That is a deal killer for me.
Also, it's not very Leopard friendly. No icon for Spaces? Maybe a refresh in Oct.?
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Feel free to slam me, but that's one crappy looking keyboard. Sorry, two crappy looking keyboards.
And is it just me or does anyone else keep thinking, "Why doesn't the image fill the screen?" every time they see a picture of the new iMac and that big black border around the screen?
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Notice that it does not say 'iMac' any where on it?
Also, it's not very Leopard friendly. No icon for Spaces?
Lot's of "spaces" on the F3 key - check it out on http://www.apple.com/imac/design.html and look at the pics in " Nothing peripheral about it."
Lot's of "spaces" on the F3 key - check it out on http://www.apple.com/imac/design.html and look at the pics in " Nothing peripheral about it."
That's the Expose "icon"...
Not much people use the numeric keypad anyway (redundant. The numeric keypad seems to me like an invention from the past where the computer was mainly used as a fancy calculator. More space on my desktop for papers and stuff!
Perhaps not, but as an accountant who does a TON of spreadsheets and data-entry, a number pad is sorely missed.
Why has the wireless one not an extended keyboard ?
I hope that is an option ?!
And by having no numeric keypad it leaves room from third party manufacturers to make some money (possible reason?).... and I guess since probably 50% of people don't use it, making the keyboard smaller could only benefit...the user saving desk space and the company itself cutting manufacturing costs.
WTF ?!
Why has the wireless one not an extended keyboard ?
I hope that is an option ?!
It's the first step toward Steve Job's goal of a one-button keyboard (well, it will have a couple on the side but those won't count as actual buttons, like the iPhone). It will just know what you want to do based on where the cursor is on screen. For example, if you open up Mail and create a new message to your mom, pushing the button will make the system automatically write a nice letter to her detailing your recent activities (by scanning your iCal events), make idle chat about the grandkids (if it determined you have kids by scanning your iPhoto collection) and attach a recent picture, and then invite her over for dinner (and automatically add it to your iCal events assuming her Address Book entry puts her at a location that is nearby). It will be a glorious system. It will free us all from having to think for ourselves...
Leopard is UNIX certified (or something similar I'm too lazy to look it up). UNIX wasn't built around a number pad and directional buttons. The transition is almost complete!
I can't believe the wireless keyboard doesn't have a number pad!! That is a deal killer for me.
Ha. At last!!! A company that had the good sense to give us a keyboard free of all those extraneous keys!! One that can actually be balanced on my lap (thanks, Bluetooth!) AND have the QWERTY section *centered* in front of me! And one that, when on a desk or keyboard tray, doesn't require us right-handed mousers (i.e., most people!) to repeatedly lift our hand over half a foot of wasted space every single time we move between keying and mousing.
[And yes, I loved the days of my ol' Happy Hacker keyboard back in the '90's ... but their newer models never seemed quite suitable for use w/ a Mac.]
So ... sorry all you folks who do numeric data entry ... you'll just have to stick with your aircraft-carrier-style keyboards, numeric keypad and all. But for the *rest* of us, this new keyboard looks great!
-- Paul