Posted on 09/01/2004 9:35:47 AM PDT by Swordmaker
Apple's senior vice-president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, took a cue from his boss, CEO Steve Jobs, as he unveiled one more thing at the end of his keynote to kick off this week's Apple Expo in Paris: an iMac G5 that includes the entire system inside a 17- or 20-inch LCD screen. Continuing the all-in-one theme that started with the original CRT iMac, the G5 edition features a new industrial design that does away with the hemispherical base of the previous generation all together. Schiller said that the new iMacs will be available in mid-September.
All iMacs feature common traits, including a widescreen aspect ratio and a slot-loading optical drive built into the right-hand edge of the system. They come mounted on an anodized, centrally mounted aluminum pedestal that allows the system to tilt up and down from 25 degrees to -5 degrees. The systems also feature downwardly-firing speakers whose grilles are used to vent air into the machine; a rear vent on top displaces hot air. Apple says the new iMac operates at 25dB when idle.
The new iMacs come in 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz G5 processor speeds, but all share a Front Side Bus (FSB) architecture and support for 400MHz DDR RAM. All the new systems also sport Serial ATA (SATA)-based internal storage and Nvidia GeForce 5200 Ultra graphics with 64MB of VRAM. The new iMac has peripheral connectors mounted vertically on their rear panels; the systems feature audio in, audio out -- supporting analog or digital output, much like Apple's AirPort Express -- a mini-VGA connector, three USB 2.0 ports, two FireWire 400 ports, a 56K v.92 modem and 10/100baseT Ethernet. Support for 802.11g-based wireless networking is optional using an internal AirPort Extreme card, as is an internal Bluetooth interface.
The base 17-inch iMac G5 comes equipped with a 1440 x 900 pixel screen, 80GB 7200RPM hard disk drive, DVD-ROM/CD-RW "Combo" drive, 533MHz Front Side Bus and 1.6GHz processor, for US$1,299. A 1.8GHz model, with a 600MHz Front Side Bus, is equipped with a DVD-R "SuperDrive" and costs US$1,499. The 1,680 x 1050 resolution 20-inch model, sporting a 1.8GHz processor, 160GB 7200RPM hard drive and SuperDrive, costs $1,899.
In addition to shipping with Mac OS X v10.3, the new iMacs also include AppleWorks, Quicken 2004 for Mac, WorldBook Encyclopedia 2004 Edition, iLife '04 and the games Nanosaur 2 and MarbleBlast Gold. Build-to-order options include increasing the RAM to 2GB and the hard drives to 160GB or 250GB in the 17- and 20-inch models, respectively. Apple's wireless keyboard and mouse are also available as add-on options.
Swordmaker
Please add me to the Mac ping list.
I think I prefer the older design because I loved the way the arm worked. It's very nice to have that seamless, flexible adjustability, the one thing I wish my 2ghz dual G5 with 23" Cinema Display had.
The newer design has no advantages over the new displays. I suppose from a marketing perspective, that's how it should be.
D
I wouldn't mind a 20-inch sitting on my desk... Nice small footprint.
CC :)
So, what Apple has done is basically created the desktop version of the laptop.
Windows: Plug and pray
Thrilling. Apple invented a laptop stand. Wow. /SARCASM
Apple must be doing something right. Have you taken a look at AAPL's chart lately?? The stock has 15 to 35 in the last 18 months. Not bad for a company which is doomed, according to some people. Of course, we've been hearing that for the last 15 years or so.
Over the course of the last two years Apple has introduced one successful product after another. In some cases, HIGHLY successful ones, such as the iPod, the G5 and all the new Powerbooks. This G5 iMac will be another homerun IMO.
I would like to be on the Apple ping list. I'm waiting for version 10.4!
As you know, Apple's U.S. marketshare is somewhat better. Of course, it would help if Apple would actually get some products on the shelves. There has been a huge shortage of Macs and iPods recently. Apple can't manufacture them fast enough to meet the demand.
It's interesting how computer cases are becoming an artistic expression of the technology they contain. Here are the latest examples -
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Finally got home.
NEW Macintosh computer... PING!!!!
The New iMac is here... G5
If you want to be included or deleted from the Macintosh Ping List, freepmail me.
No... a laptop has an integrated keyboard. This does not. Its actually a re-invention of the 20th Anniversary Mac... only with a LOT larger screen than the original 12.1" Active Matrix Display... and a lot cheaper.
"The Twentieth Anniversary Mac was a limited edition, and sold for nearly $10,000. Its price was cut to as low as $1,999 and it was discontinued in March 1998.
"
It got cut cause nobody wanted to pay for a laptop 386 for $10 grand. Apple's always ripped their customers severely.
But it's an American company, so let it be I suppose. Just knowing you're getting severely ripped off.
Your Viewsonic PC Tablet (Mac 20th wanna-be) features a:
High luminance XGA 12.1" TFT LCD display with auto brightness adjustment and wide viewing angle
with a pricetag of $1899. I'm underwhelmed.
Please note that Apple was selling the 20th Anniversary model with a 12.1" screen almost EIGHT YEARS AGO.
For that SAME price that Viewsonic is offering your PC tablet, Apple is selling a G5 Macintosh with a 20" LCD screen.
That's capitalism for you. That pesky supply and demand thingie.
I hope this is one step closer to a G5 PowerBook (or whatever they will call it). I had a conversation with an Apple employee a few weeks ago and he said he isn't holding his breath because of the short chip supply and the heat challenges. He warned me he was only speaking his mind -- that one could be announced tomorrow, for all he knew.
I don't want to upgrade my PB until I can move to 64bits.
I have no problem with it. People wanna buy overpriced junk, great. Especially if it means American jobs.
It isn't "junk".
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