Apple Introduces iMac G5

[Kent Pribbernow]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.apple.com/imac' target='_blank'>http://www.apple.com/imac</a><br /><br /></div>It's finally here, and it's...an oversized Cinema display? Yeesh! I'm not liking the looks of this so far. I'd post more but I am dead tired right now. I got up at 4:00AM (EST) so I could get the early scoop and bring this news to you guys as it happens. See how much I care about you!<br /><br />Anyway, here are the specs and pricepoints:<br /><br /><li>Entry level model: 17" 256 MB RAM, 1.8 GHZ G5 with 533MHz frontside bus, Combo Drive, 80 GB drive, 64 MB video card. This compares to US$1799 for the old iMac. <br />-US$1299<br /><br /><li>Mid-range model: 17", 1.8 GHZ G5 with 600mhz frontside bus, 80 GB HD, SuperDrive.<br />-US$1499<br /><br /><li>High-end model: 20" display (1680 x 1050), 2.2" thick, 1.8 GHz G5 600MHz frontside bus, 256 MB RAM, 160 GB drive, SuperDrive, and same 64 MB video card. <br />-US$1899<br /><br />Begins shipping in mid-September.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/new_imac.jpg" /><br />

[Filip Norrgard]

It looks like it could fall over easily. Or, at least my cat could put that thing out of service in a jiffy. If he can move chairs, while no one's sitting on them, he surely be able to show off an iMac-G5-loop-de-loop also... :roll: :lol:

[Felix Torres]

I got up at 4:00AM (EST) so I could get the early scoop and bring this news to you guys as it happens. See how much I care about you!



And the reward you get is to be called names by the fringes of the Mac movement.
The ungrateful wretches! :wink:

[Kent Pribbernow]

And the reward you get is to be called names by the fringes of the Mac movement.
The ungrateful wretches! :wink:

Ah yes...the gift that keeps on giving.

[Mojo Jojo]

Looks like the rumor photo (could this be the new imac) was both right and wrong. The idea is the same but what was shown in the picture is not the same.

At any rate, thanks for putting in the early hours. Nice to see some interesting news on my morning spin through.

On to the personal review/opinion. :)

My first thought is, its not bad... but upon thinking about my first reaction its not bad doesn't mean it is good.

To be honest I like the old iMac shape and design better. This may save some desk space but is less functional. The loss of the pivot is something that is used at my house a lot.

I can see the price as okay, in that getting the components into that form factor probably does add some overhead, but I would like to see the price even less or slightly better components for that price.

Anyhoots. My two cents from a picture. :)

***EDIT****

Sorry, took a spin to the Apple site got some more info and I guess i have a slight retraction and one addition to make.

As for the price... I guess more memory is what really gets me there. The hard drive size is fine, the graphics card is decent for what it needs to do, the combo drive, and of course the price includes the 17 inch flat panel LCD. So I will retract my price issue and say it is actually just dandy for what you get. Just typing too fast before the brain catches up.

The next part is really just another functionality issue. While the picture is crisp and clean what I didn't connect on at first is where things plug in. On the back image the little black dots near the posts are where everything connects, I thought it was venting. Now in connecting the speakers, the keyboard, the firewire for the iPod, and the USB for out Zip drive... well there will be a whole lot of wires just flopping around. So the 'Clean' aspect is certainly going to get lost in real life use.

Anyways... two cents and some change. :)

[James Fee]

I like it. Its what I wanted. Just a monitor and nothing else. I would have liked a better video card, but its closer to what I can buy than the old iMac was. Why does Apple think a 64 meg video card is enough?

[Kent Pribbernow]

My reaction to the new iMac is one of resounding disappointment. The design is uninspiring (never thought I would hear myself say that about an Apple product), and less dramatic than it's predecessor. It lacks the unique cache of previous iMac models, that made them classics. This new watered down look just doens't light a fire under my feet.

The specs and pricing look pretty good though.

[Mojo Jojo]

If your interested in a real life photo of the device...

http://www.macgeneration.com/mgnews/categories/actualite/upload/ae2004imacG5keynote/image034.jpg

http://www.macgeneration.com/mgnews/categories/actualite/upload/ae2004imacG5keynote/image035.jpg

http://www.macgeneration.com/mgnews/categories/actualite/upload/ae2004imacG5keynote/image036.jpg

http://www.macgeneration.com/mgnews/categories/actualite/upload/ae2004imacG5keynote/image037.jpg

[Kent Pribbernow]

Uh...where's the external speakers? Did Apple stop shipping those with the new iMacs?

[Suhit Gupta]

Hmm, this design doesn't look all that inspiring. I was totalle expecting something like the one in this link - http://www.mackompass.de/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=2

Suhit

[Mojo Jojo]

Uh...where's the external speakers? Did Apple stop shipping those with the new iMacs?

According to Apple specs the speakers are also imbedded into the frame/shell. There are no external speakers. Perhaps along the top or bottom edge.

For surrond sound support the Headphone jack located in the rear is also a mini-optical plug. I would assume that Harmon Kardon (et all) well make a seperate speaker package with the proper connection in due time.

[Mojo Jojo]

Some additional pictures of the guts. Alot of cramming going on in there...

http://www.macgeneration.com/mgnews/categories/actualite/upload/ae2004imacG5keynote/image040.jpg

http://www.macgeneration.com/mgnews/categories/actualite/upload/ae2004imacG5keynote/image041.jpg

http://www.macgeneration.com/mgnews/categories/actualite/upload/ae2004imacG5keynote/image043.jpg

A quick peek through would suggest that you can upgrade the hard drive to something with a larger capcity if your willing to break open the seal as it appears to be a standard size. There also appears to be two ram slots along the right side (when viewed from back).

In addition the gray craddle located on the left suggest an easy add on for the airport extreme card and bluetooth module for self install without having to build to order through Apple as well.

[Felix Torres]

The color and bezel remind me of the original 128Kb Mac.
All its missing is the frint-mounted slot for a floppy.

[Kent Pribbernow]

According to Apple specs the speakers are also imbedded into the frame/shell. There are no external speakers. Perhaps along the top or bottom edge.

Yee gads! Apple is really taking a step backwards with this design. The iMac is supposed to be a multimedia center. That being the case, It makes no sense to me they would make such a crippled product that is unsuitable for music playback. Especially when I can buy a $700 PC which includes two speakers and a subwoofer. Hell, my sister's eMachine sounds better than this thing. :roll:

[James Fee]

Hell, my sister's eMachine sounds better than this thing. :roll:My Apple store doesn't have it yet. :( I was hoping to see it today, but they don't think they'll have it by tonight. I'm surprised it sounds so bad. What else did you think of it?

I guess including speakers isn't a bid deal as must of us have speakers already, but I'm reserving judgement until I check it out in person.

[Filip Norrgard]

A quick peek through would suggest that you can upgrade the hard drive to something with a larger capcity if your willing to break open the seal as it appears to be a standard size. There also appears to be two ram slots along the right side (when viewed from back).

In addition the gray craddle located on the left suggest an easy add on for the airport extreme card and bluetooth module for self install without having to build to order through Apple as well.
That is definately better if one can add a hard drive without risking to get (1) electricuted by a CRT (iMac 1G) or (2) risk damaging another component (iMac 2G). :roll: If one could add bigger hard drive, Bluetooth and WiFi themselfes (which Mojo speculates) then it would just be much better for those like me who don't know what they need when they're buying iMacs. ;)

[klinux]

Why does Apple think a 64 meg video card is enough?

The same reason why it only has 256MB of RAM in its machines such as the $2000 PowerMac!

And bugs me is that the zealots on Mac boards argue that Macs cost the same as PC with some arguing that Macs are even cheaper. :roll:

[James Fee]

I've read much about people saying this iMac design isn't as good looking or interesting as the last one. I say so what! I didn't care for the lamp iMac, but I will say it was different, but where did it get Apple? It just didn't sell. We'll see if this one sells better, but to hold on to the lamp like it was a great model is just wrong and it is part of the reason why Apple just can't sell computers anymore. I've seen a couple people compare this iMac to iPods and if it sells like them, who cares? Frankly the future of Mac OS resides on this iMac doing something that the last one didn't, making people wait in line to get one beyond the first month.

[Mojo Jojo]

I've read much about people saying this iMac design isn't as good looking or interesting as the last one.

I think that is just people's reaction to change, though. Something new, different... first reactions.

The wife just called, she found out about it. Looks like I have to find a silver 'Lazy Susan' in the next couple of weeks. She has new tech envy worse then I sometimes. Anyone want a good deal on a G4 1ghz iMac? :P

[Kent Pribbernow]

I didn't care for the lamp iMac, but I will say it was different, but where did it get Apple? It just didn't sell.

That's not why the iMac 2 didn't sell. The flaw was in its pricing. If you remember way back in the old days of the original iMac, the entry-level models started at a mere $799, which put it squarely within the pocketbooks or most consumers. This fueled the iMac's popularity and Apple's comeback as a relevent computer maker. When Apple introduced the iLamp, the starting price jumped to $1,300...and that priced it right out of many consumer's wallet. The result was a disaster so serious that Apple had to quickly regroup and come up with a bailout strategy, and so the eMac was born to fill the vacuum left by the expulsion of CRT-based iMacs. To this day Apple still shrouds the actual numbers of eMac vs. iMac sales by lumping them together in one figure. Which shows what a flop the flat panel iMac really was.

And this new model will suffer the same fate. Initial sales volumes will be through the stratosphere...for about 3-4 months. After that, sales begin to taper off at a steady rate. And once again it will be up to poor old eMac to bring home the medal for Apple's accounting department.

Apple has a serious problem on its hands. The Mac platform is perpetually shrinking and so far nothing has really succeed in growing and extending the platform. Five years ago Apple had a market share of around 5%. Today's it has dipped dangerously below 2%. Many market studies I've seen place Macs approaching the shameful 1% mark.

And you can bet the folks in Cupertino see the writing on the wall. The iPod isn't just a successful new product for Apple, it's an exit strategy to grow the company and lessen its deadly dependence on a niche computing platform with limited growth prospects.

[James Fee]

But Kent, the design was the reason why it couldn't sell. They made a computer that looked great no matter where you put it, but they were never able to lower the price at all.

Just curious, why do you think it will fail? I'm not getting one, but you seem so sure its a dud. I'm glad all the Mac community doesn't like it. Maybe this will be the model that actually sells. As I said, I haven't seen it in person and maybe I'll change my mind then, but I like the idea and the execution seems to be good so far.

[Kent Pribbernow]

But Kent, the design was the reason why it couldn't sell. They made a computer that looked great no matter where you put it, but they were never able to lower the price at all.

It was the component costs (mainly the LCD) that drove up the price, so in that regard you might say the design was to blame. But price is the bottom line. People weren't turned off by its looks..they were turned away by its price.

Just curious, why do you think it will fail?

Because its priced the same as the line it replaces. The only difference is we are getting a hell of a lot more bang for our buck. That matters to folks like you and me who are Mac fans, but $1,300 and above is simply too high for entry level users and people curious about Macs in general. And that is the market Apple needs to attract quickly. What Apple should have done was offer a basic 15" model priced at say..oh $899.

Just watch, the eMac is going to be around for a good long time.

I'm not getting one, but you seem so sure its a dud.

Actually I might get one. I have some technical concerns about the hot G5 processor being located behind the display (I wonder if that could damage the LCD or cause problems with the machine? ), but other than that I like what this product has to offer. Escecially since I'm coming from a 15" iMac (1024x768 is just too low-res for my tastes).

But we'll see I guess.

I'm glad all the Mac community doesn't like it.

On that note I agree 100%. If Mac fans don't like this product...I see that as a good thing. Apple needs to stop preaching to the choir and, in baseball terms, start "hittin em where they ain't".

[James Fee]

Just noticed that it has firewire 400, not 800. That sucks....

:x

[Kent Pribbernow]

You know...I have to admit the design is starting to grow on me. Looking mighty tempting.

Hey Apple, send me a unit so I can review it! :P

[James Fee]

Because its priced the same as the line it replaces. The only difference is we are getting a hell of a lot more bang for our buck. That matters to folks like you and me who are Mac fans, but $1,300 and above is simply too high for entry level users and people curious about Macs in general. And that is the market Apple needs to attract quickly. What Apple should have done was offer a basic 15" model priced at say..oh $899.
But it is a G5, not G4 anymore. *shrug* I get your point, but isn't this what Apple always does? They never lower prices, just always with the "latest" processors....

[James Fee]

Some pictures of the Expo have been posted here...

http://homepage.mac.com/morgan68/AppleExpo/PhotoAlbum31.html

[Kent Pribbernow]

Jesus Horatio Ch***t! Look at the size of that audience. I would have melted into pool of butter if I had to address such a crowd. Phil did a great job filling for Jobs. But the event would have had a grand atmosphere had Jobs keynoted.

[James Fee]

For what its worth...Credit Suisse First Boston said the price point for the new machine was high, but the value was compelling. The research house said, "We believe the release of the new iMac gives Apple a much-needed boost in its underperforming consumer desktop product line" as the previous flat-panel "swivel base" iMac had reached the end of its product life.

from Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/markets/2004/08/31/0831automarketscan11.html)

[Mojo Jojo]

You know...I have to admit the design is starting to grow on me. Looking mighty tempting.

Hey Apple, send me a unit so I can review it! :P

Wait.. wait! Your biased, remember? Send it to me. Because , um...ooo look someone dropped an iPod behind you. Yoinks!

[Crocuta]

Hmm, this design doesn't look all that inspiring. I was totalle expecting something like the one in this link - http://www.mackompass.de/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=2

I hated the iLamp iMac, and the new one is okay, but this design you've linked to here is excellent. Is this image a fake or do they have a different product for the European market? If real, I wonder why they didn't go with that design in the US.

[larryh]

It's a nice unit, however I would have rather seen it in brushed aluminum (similar to the new displays) - but at least it is a G5 based unit. Let's hope that Microsoft's Virtual PC runs well on it :wink: