Buyer's remorse: eMac
Okay, I feel really weird posting this because my eMac is a very fast machine. It offers a lot of power for the price and I got an even better deal on it through my educational discount. The screen is pretty nice despite what many people say about it, and the whole package is all around pretty good - graphics are decent, combo drive burns at a good speed, included keyboard is excellent, and it's fairly easy to move compared to a tower + monitor setup.
So why would I feel bad about this computer? It's perhaps the fastest one I've owned. The problem is that is has no personality at all. It's just a bland, boring eMac. Like every other eMac that comes out of the factory. Is there something wrong with my head? It's just a computer after all, it's not really meant to have "personality." Even so, I feel like for the same money I could have bought a less powerful but infinitely more fun Cube, or a used flat panel iMac, or even a G4 tower with some upgrades to "make it my own." Old gumdrop iMacs (especially the Bondi Blue ones) seem to have a lot of personality as well, as do the ancient compact Macs, but those last two are too slow to be a primary machine.
I don't want to say I'm considering selling it after just a month, but sometimes I do wonder why I didn't go for something cooler. It seems to me like I was being a spec whore just before the purchase, and I ignored the important things like style and ease of use. The eMac is easy to use but it's too clinical and unsympathetic. I really don't know how to describe it. I just feel like if I could have spent those same $1000 again, I would have probably spent them on a less capable but more interesting machine.
Any other eMac buyers know what I'm talking about? Other people? It just seems like the eMac is the most bland product Apple has come out with in a long time.
So why would I feel bad about this computer? It's perhaps the fastest one I've owned. The problem is that is has no personality at all. It's just a bland, boring eMac. Like every other eMac that comes out of the factory. Is there something wrong with my head? It's just a computer after all, it's not really meant to have "personality." Even so, I feel like for the same money I could have bought a less powerful but infinitely more fun Cube, or a used flat panel iMac, or even a G4 tower with some upgrades to "make it my own." Old gumdrop iMacs (especially the Bondi Blue ones) seem to have a lot of personality as well, as do the ancient compact Macs, but those last two are too slow to be a primary machine.
I don't want to say I'm considering selling it after just a month, but sometimes I do wonder why I didn't go for something cooler. It seems to me like I was being a spec whore just before the purchase, and I ignored the important things like style and ease of use. The eMac is easy to use but it's too clinical and unsympathetic. I really don't know how to describe it. I just feel like if I could have spent those same $1000 again, I would have probably spent them on a less capable but more interesting machine.
Any other eMac buyers know what I'm talking about? Other people? It just seems like the eMac is the most bland product Apple has come out with in a long time.
Comments
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
Okay, I feel really weird posting this because my eMac is a very fast machine. It offers a lot of power for the price and I got an even better deal on it through my educational discount. The screen is pretty nice despite what many people say about it, and the whole package is all around pretty good - graphics are decent, combo drive burns at a good speed, included keyboard is excellent, and it's fairly easy to move compared to a tower + monitor setup.
So why would I feel bad about this computer? It's perhaps the fastest one I've owned. The problem is that is has no personality at all. It's just a bland, boring eMac. Like every other eMac that comes out of the factory. Is there something wrong with my head? It's just a computer after all, it's not really meant to have "personality." Even so, I feel like for the same money I could have bought a less powerful but infinitely more fun Cube, or a used flat panel iMac, or even a G4 tower with some upgrades to "make it my own." Old gumdrop iMacs (especially the Bondi Blue ones) seem to have a lot of personality as well, as do the ancient compact Macs, but those last two are too slow to be a primary machine.
I don't want to say I'm considering selling it after just a month, but sometimes I do wonder why I didn't go for something cooler. It seems to me like I was being a spec whore just before the purchase, and I ignored the important things like style and ease of use. The eMac is easy to use but it's too clinical and unsympathetic. I really don't know how to describe it. I just feel like if I could have spent those same $1000 again, I would have probably spent them on a less capable but more interesting machine.
Any other eMac buyers know what I'm talking about? Other people? It just seems like the eMac is the most bland product Apple has come out with in a long time.
An eMac, is like a Volkswagen Passat : a pretty good car, but one of a car that nobody dreams to own.
IMO iBook is one of the best looking laptop around.
i believe eMacs belong in the education sector and should only be bought by schools. they're not too fussy on the looks, as long as it gets the job done.
I don't like how the power button isn't on the front, and the CD tray cover is HUGE.
but it was a very fast computer, and certainly creams my iMac DVSE, but, my iMac DVSE has more character
Anyway, I'm up for suggestions on how to make this computer more interesting. Lighting, painting, other crazy stuff... I'm just in the conceptual stage but I think making this eMac more fun would be a cool project, even if it's as simple as just painting it a new solid color or a gradient. As long as it's not too intrusive and doesn't require some insane electrical or artistic skills to pull off, I'm open to ideas.
Originally posted by Wrong Robot
A friend of mine has an eMac she really loves it. It's her first mac, I personally wasn't too thrilled when I played around with it for a little while.
I don't like how the power button isn't on the front, and the CD tray cover is HUGE.
but it was a very fast computer, and certainly creams my iMac DVSE, but, my iMac DVSE has more character
My main problem with the CD tray cover is that it makes so much noise when it closes. I don't mind it being so big but the iMac's tray cover doesn't make such a loud banging noise when it closes.
Hmm... maybe I could follow the lead of the "Mercury" Mac Classic on AppleFritter and go with a shiny silver and bright red color scheme. But I'm afraid of wrecking something - I'd have to be very careful.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
An eMac, is like a Volkswagen Passat : a pretty good car, but one of a car that nobody dreams to own.
::runs out to hug his Passat::
Originally posted by Eugene
The eMac's probably closer to the Golf. It's not as sleek and flash as the Beetle, but quite similar under the hood. It still carries a premium over many other imports. It's the quintessential chick car.
You haven't been to Europe, have you? The Golf has been, since its inception up to a couple of years ago, the #1 car of choice for young upcoming yuppies and other wannabe race drivers. A high testosterone car for sure, the kind of car you'd see tuned to perfection, tearing by you on the highway doing 180 km/h. Really, Eugene. Maybe the situation where you are is different, but you may rest assured that many a European boy's heart has, in the eighties and nineties, skipped a beat when thinking of that VW Golf. And that's the context you must see Powerdoc's statement in. I agree completely with him, and I'm quite baffled by seeing anyone calling the Golf a chick car.
Originally posted by der Kopf
You haven't been to Europe, have you? The Golf has been, since its inception up to a couple of years ago, the #1 car of choice for young upcoming yuppies and other wannabe race drivers. A high testosterone car for sure, the kind of car you'd see tuned to perfection, tearing by you on the highway doing 180 km/h. Really, Eugene. Maybe the situation where you are is different, but you may rest assured that many a European boy's heart has, in the eighties and nineties, skipped a beat when thinking of that VW Golf. And that's the context you must see Powerdoc's statement in. I agree completely with him, and I'm quite baffled by seeing anyone calling the Golf a chick car.
That is definitely not their status in the US! Generally, golf's are old junker cars high school kids drive. At least they were when I was in high school (which was eight years ago). I drove a crappy old VW rabbit!
eMac is like a PT cruiser: cheap, ugly, and you need to get used to how it looks.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
An eMac, is like a Volkswagen Passat : a pretty good car, but one of a car that nobody dreams to own.
That's funny, I always thought of the eMac being a VW.
But as for my Ferrari G5...
As for the eMac, I actually think they're pretty snazzy machines. Had they existed 18 or so month sago when I bought my LCD G4 iMac, I probably would've saved the money and opted for an eMac instead. I think they came ou tin May and I bought my iMac in March, so...
But with these new price cuts and their respectable features/performance, I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I ever found myself wanting/needing a desktop. Even over a G5 because I dig the all-in-one stuff and its not overkill for what I do.
In fact, I'd like to buy my Dad one of those $799 eMacs at some point.
I agree about the optical drive door being a tad huge on it. But that's about it as far as "negatives". I wouldn't mind seeing a slight redesign of the eMac to incorporate a slot-loading drive (yeah, I said it) and a power button on the front for easy access. And I'd realy love to see the tilt and swivel stand actually INCLUDED with the machine, since it really adds to/enhances the whole thing.
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
Any other eMac buyers know what I'm talking about? Other people? It just seems like the eMac is the most bland product Apple has come out with in a long time.
I know how you feel. I bought an eMac back in August. It's fast, easily three times as fast as the Cube I've got here, but it has no "Wow!" factor like the Cube.
Fortunately, it's my brother's eMac.
Originally posted by der Kopf
You haven't been to Europe, have you? The Golf has been, since its inception up to a couple of years ago, the #1 car of choice for young upcoming yuppies and other wannabe race drivers. A high testosterone car for sure, the kind of car you'd see tuned to perfection, tearing by you on the highway doing 180 km/h. Really, Eugene. Maybe the situation where you are is different, but you may rest assured that many a European boy's heart has, in the eighties and nineties, skipped a beat when thinking of that VW Golf. And that's the context you must see Powerdoc's statement in. I agree completely with him, and I'm quite baffled by seeing anyone calling the Golf a chick car.
A stock Golf is most definitely a chick car here. Most of the teen boys here who take pride in their rides have Japanese ricers, SUVs, muscle cars or ultra-luxury cars. They most certainly do not choose to drive stock Golfs. The GTI, sure.
Originally posted by pscates
And I'd realy love to see the tilt and swivel stand actually INCLUDED with the machine, since it really adds to/enhances the whole thing.
Oh man, you beat me to it.
I was going to suggest this as an add-on, because I agree that it really enhances the appearance of the eMac.
Great minds think alike!
Originally posted by Eugene
A stock Golf is most definitely a chick car here. Most of the teen boys here who take pride in their rides have Japanese ricers, SUVs, muscle cars or ultra-luxury cars. They most certainly do not choose to drive stock Golfs. The GTI, sure.
Not here. The Golf isn't something driven by high school kids, but rather by 20-somethings, mostly male, especially the GTI. The japanese racers are reserved mostly for high school kids.
I want a Golf, and declaring this in front of any male in the 20-50 age bracket would get nods of approval rather than being shunned as a girls car. Case in point check out the VW Golf R32
also, look around and you can get static cling decals like flames for the emac hull, which could add personality without decreasing retail value. even kinko's used to print on static cling material through their oversize printers. they may have phased that out, though, if there was no demand.