Wednesday, September 01, 2004
iMac G5
I've been looking at the iMac G5 and think that it's a good looking computer. If you have the wireless keyboard and mouse, as well as Airport Extreme, the power cable should generally be the only cable necessary. Unfortunately Airport, Bluetooth, and the wireless keyboard/mouse are extras. I'm not going to claim that I'm an expert on the RAM requirements for Macs and OS X, but the base 256MB seems a bit low. Posters on DeviantArt made comments about the graphics card not being as good as it can be. Even Joy of Tech poked some fun at these seemingly lacking features.
So what's my point? At the least Apple should add Bluetooth and the wireless keyboard/mouse as standard, adding Airport Extreme would be an even nicer baseline boost. To make a really sweet computer, Apple should bump the minimum ram to 512MB, add Airport Extreme, Bluetooth, wireless keyboard/mouse, and maybe even bump the graphics card up a notch or two.
The iMac even looks semi-portable, like a computer that could be brought from home to school occasionally without the hassle of a desktop or the cost of a laptop. And if you could get a tuner for Cable TV/AM/FM with TiVo or ReplayTV functionality, either built in or via USB, you could have a very functional machine. Might be the perfect thing for the college crowd. Cost might be around $2000 (with the upgraded features from above and the tuner), but when you look a comparable PowerBook ($2800 for the 17") plus a TV and stereo you're now talking $3200+. Hasn't Apple wanted the iMac to be the center of the digital hub? And I haven't even got to talking about the iPod and where it could go.
Update: Engadget has an article about the lack of TV tuner, hinting of the possibility of a media center Mac.
So what's my point? At the least Apple should add Bluetooth and the wireless keyboard/mouse as standard, adding Airport Extreme would be an even nicer baseline boost. To make a really sweet computer, Apple should bump the minimum ram to 512MB, add Airport Extreme, Bluetooth, wireless keyboard/mouse, and maybe even bump the graphics card up a notch or two.
The iMac even looks semi-portable, like a computer that could be brought from home to school occasionally without the hassle of a desktop or the cost of a laptop. And if you could get a tuner for Cable TV/AM/FM with TiVo or ReplayTV functionality, either built in or via USB, you could have a very functional machine. Might be the perfect thing for the college crowd. Cost might be around $2000 (with the upgraded features from above and the tuner), but when you look a comparable PowerBook ($2800 for the 17") plus a TV and stereo you're now talking $3200+. Hasn't Apple wanted the iMac to be the center of the digital hub? And I haven't even got to talking about the iPod and where it could go.
Update: Engadget has an article about the lack of TV tuner, hinting of the possibility of a media center Mac.
# posted by Jacob Bird @ 4:52 PM 
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Yes, I think the iMac would be better if it came standard with Airport, Bluetooth, and at lest 512RAM. But that would drive up the cost, and there are people who might never need Airport, or Bluetooth. So I think having it cheaper and with BTO(Build To Order) Airport, Bluetooth, and more RAM is proably the best option.
Interestingly enough, Apple did produce a "MacTV" back in 1993.
http://www.apple-history.com/images/models/tv.jpg
It was basically a version of the LC500 line in an all black casing with a TV tuner. (A real collector's item now since so few were made-and if you can find the black AppleDesign Keyboard or black Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II you've found something rare as well.)
This was Apple first real attempt at the "college market" you speak of and it failed miserably.
It seems like Apple either succeeds grandly (Apple II, Macintosh 128K, iMac, iPod) or fails pretty horribly (Apple III, Macintosh Portable, eWorld, G4 Cube)
There's little middle ground with genius I guess...
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http://www.apple-history.com/images/models/tv.jpg
It was basically a version of the LC500 line in an all black casing with a TV tuner. (A real collector's item now since so few were made-and if you can find the black AppleDesign Keyboard or black Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II you've found something rare as well.)
This was Apple first real attempt at the "college market" you speak of and it failed miserably.
It seems like Apple either succeeds grandly (Apple II, Macintosh 128K, iMac, iPod) or fails pretty horribly (Apple III, Macintosh Portable, eWorld, G4 Cube)
There's little middle ground with genius I guess...
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