Portable iMac G5?

Chip NoVaMac · Sep 28, 2004

Wonder if anyone had ideas of how to make the iMac G5 portable. Meaning is there a stand that I could place the iMac on?

My thought is that since I work in my head office 2 or 3 times a week, and most work is done from home that an iMac G5 may be a good solution. Except for the bracket stand that it uses now. The weight of the iMac itself would not be a factor.

Sort on an iCurve that was designed with the iMac G5 in mind.

edesignuk · Sep 28, 2004

You could always have the iMac fitted with the VESA mount bracket, then in your office and at home have "hot-plug" style VESA mounts.

PlaceofDis · Sep 28, 2004

edesignuk said:
You could always have the iMac fitted with the VESA mount bracket, then in your office and at home have "hot-pug" style VESA mounts.

thats probably going to be your best solution it you ask me, just be sure to find a damn good case to transport it around in

yippy · Sep 28, 2004

Vesa mounts

Yea, if you got a vesa mount, wireless mouse/keyboard (assuming you have built in bluetooth, and a second powercord (a power cord is a powercord for any desktop made in the past 8 or so years, just need one from ANY computer) and you could easly take your iMac back and forth, only having to put it on the mount and plug in one cord. And you wouldn't have to carry anything except the computer itself.

filmmaker2002 · Sep 28, 2004

yippy said:
Yea, if you got a vesa mount, wireless mouse/keyboard (assuming you have built in bluetooth, and a second powercord (a power cord is a powercord for any desktop made in the past 8 or so years, just need one from ANY computer) and you could easly take your iMac back and forth, only having to put it on the mount and plug in one cord. And you wouldn't have to carry anything except the computer itself.

You might want to check that power cord. I believe it is iMac propietary. The original iMacs used standard power cords, but the new ones have a different plug style into the computer if I'm not mistaken.

edesignuk · Sep 28, 2004

filmmaker2002 said:
You might want to check that power cord. I believe it is iMac propietary. The original iMacs used standard power cords, but the new ones have a different plug style into the computer if I'm not mistaken.

Looks pretty standard to me...

PlaceofDis · Sep 28, 2004

you probably dont want to have BT, at least not at for both places, because you would have to lug the mouse and kb with you then, because i dont think you can have more than one kb paired with the computer, best bet would probably have a wired set up at work or at home and bt at the other, or both wired, whatever works for you personally, and a power cord at each location so you could just take the screen with you, but the key is to find some easily detachable vesa mounts

BornAgainMac · Sep 28, 2004

edesignuk said:
Looks pretty standard to me...

What about the other end of the cable going to the outlet?

rainman::|:| · Sep 28, 2004

PlaceofDis said:
you probably dont want to have BT, at least not at for both places, because you would have to lug the mouse and kb with you then, because i dont think you can have more than one kb paired with the computer, best bet would probably have a wired set up at work or at home and bt at the other, or both wired, whatever works for you personally, and a power cord at each location so you could just take the screen with you, but the key is to find some easily detachable vesa mounts

I agree, your best bet is to get a wired keyboard/mouse at each location. Sure you could rediscover the different set of keyboard/mouse at each place, every time you switch, but that's cumbersome and annoying. Unless wireless is *that* important to you.

The VESA quick-mount will work, but remember (when figuring out how to transport it) that part of the VESA mount will always be attached to the computer, unless you switch back to the old foot. A couple of people have already expressed hope in moving their iMac around with *nothing* attached to the back, which isn't really an option (unless you want to keep disassembling the iMac to switch mounts)

paul

noel4r · Sep 28, 2004

PlaceofDis said:
you probably dont want to have BT, at least not at for both places, because you would have to lug the mouse and kb with you then, because i dont think you can have more than one kb paired with the computer, best bet would probably have a wired set up at work or at home and bt at the other, or both wired, whatever works for you personally, and a power cord at each location so you could just take the screen with you, but the key is to find some easily detachable vesa mounts

maybe one bluetooth kb for one place and a wired kb for another. just turn it off (if you have to) before you go to another place. i think that might work.

sorryiwasdreami · Sep 28, 2004

Unless you are using a 220 volt apparatus (washing machine, radial arm saw, etc.), 110V plugs are pretty much all standard in the US. The only thing that would differ is whether the wire is grounded or not, having a third prong.

Computers are always grounded in my experience.

So, the other end should fit into any wall socket in the US. If you are in a different country, obviously, you will have different receptacles.

edesignuk · Sep 28, 2004

BornAgainMac said:
What about the other end of the cable going to the outlet?

Are you serious!?!?!?!

My god...

emw · Sep 28, 2004

paulwhannel said:
A couple of people have already expressed hope in moving their iMac around with *nothing* attached to the back, which isn't really an option (unless you want to keep disassembling the iMac to switch mounts)

I think what he's looking for is a sort of stand to hold the iMac. Imagine if you will a sleek plastic or aluminum stand, reminiscent of the stands used to hold music in your old orchestra class, but designed to sit on a desk (and be cooler, of course).

The iMac, sans VESA mounts or original mount, sits on the stand, which allows vertical and rotational adjustment. It holds the iMac in place with either a wrap-around side (a sleeve type of thing) or magnets (although careful with that hard drive).

That way, you get one of those for home, one for the office, and carry your iMac around without any other attachments. Perhaps it's even a mini dock, that you snap your iMac into and you've already got your cables connected (power included).

Doable?

PlaceofDis · Sep 28, 2004

emw said:
I think what he's looking for is a sort of stand to hold the iMac. Imagine if you will a sleek plastic or aluminum stand, reminiscent of the stands used to hold music in your old orchestra class, but designed to sit on a desk (and be cooler, of course).

The iMac, sans VESA mounts or original mount, sits on the stand, which allows vertical and rotational adjustment. It holds the iMac in place with either a wrap-around side (a sleeve type of thing) or magnets (although careful with that hard drive).
Doable?

problem with this is that the mac is more prone to get damaged because its not a standard mount, but i guess if some company came out with a dock that might work well, depending on how it is implemented

Manzana · Sep 28, 2004

emw said:
Perhaps it's even a mini dock, that you snap your iMac into and you've already got your cables connected (power included).
Doable?

hmmm, iMac dock. Sounds like a business opportunity to me...it could also include kb and mouse.

emw · Sep 28, 2004

Manzana said:
hmmm, iMac dock. Sounds like a business opportunity to me...

If only I was more motivated. I wish I even had a clue as to how to patent something...

Chip NoVaMac · Sep 28, 2004

paulwhannel said:
I agree, your best bet is to get a wired keyboard/mouse at each location. Sure you could rediscover the different set of keyboard/mouse at each place, every time you switch, but that's cumbersome and annoying. Unless wireless is *that* important to you.

The VESA quick-mount will work, but remember (when figuring out how to transport it) that part of the VESA mount will always be attached to the computer, unless you switch back to the old foot. A couple of people have already expressed hope in moving their iMac around with *nothing* attached to the back, which isn't really an option (unless you want to keep disassembling the iMac to switch mounts)

paul

I think that is what I was hoping for. not sure how much space the quick release VESA mounts take up (sort of came up empty on a search that could support the weight of the iMac G5). I would hope that someone might come out with an iPod type of mount that provides even better cooling.

I have to say that I am loving the 2" thickness of the iMac G5 without the mount.

Chip NoVaMac · Sep 28, 2004

noel4r said:
maybe one bluetooth kb for one place and a wired kb for another. just turn it off (if you have to) before you go to another place. i think that might work.

the keyboards would reside in each place. Whether they are wired, BT, or otherwise. I use my PB 12" with the M$ (i know boo hiss) standard wireless keyboard mouse that i got for free with a store gift card for copier business.

Only the iMac G5 itself would travel. Everything else would be duplicated in both places.

Chip NoVaMac · Sep 28, 2004

emw said:
I think what he's looking for is a sort of stand to hold the iMac. Imagine if you will a sleek plastic or aluminum stand, reminiscent of the stands used to hold music in your old orchestra class, but designed to sit on a desk (and be cooler, of course).

The iMac, sans VESA mounts or original mount, sits on the stand, which allows vertical and rotational adjustment. It holds the iMac in place with either a wrap-around side (a sleeve type of thing) or magnets (although careful with that hard drive).

That way, you get one of those for home, one for the office, and carry your iMac around without any other attachments. Perhaps it's even a mini dock, that you snap your iMac into and you've already got your cables connected (power included).

Doable?

Get the choir to sing on that! You have my intent right on target....

Chip NoVaMac · Sep 28, 2004

emw said:
If only I was more motivated. I wish I even had a clue as to how to patent something...

You and me both! that is why I turned to others for an interim solution.

The point is that not all of us needs a battery powered computer to port between locations. I look at the iMac G5 as being a new age Osborne. A lugable if you will. If I need battery power or very lightweight I have my PB 12" for that.

I think my idea comes from the bags that took the previous iMac's with the arm. Given the 2" thickness, the iMac G5 seems to scream for a solution for those of us that are willing to be tied to a power outlet.

wPod · Sep 28, 2004

sounds like moving the iMac into a giant tablet! hmmm interesting idea. maybe that will be the 2nd generation mac with a touch screen! then maybe a G4 tablet the size of a 12" PB screen (but thicker). but i guess apple wont make a tablet!

emw · Sep 28, 2004

Chip NoVaMac said:
I look at the iMac G5 as being a new age Osborne. A lugable if you will. If I need battery power or very lightweight I have my PB 12" for that.

I think your situation is far from unique - many people work from home and the office, but seldom in between. Those cases beg for this type of solution, even without the "dock" capabilities.

Heck, you could probably build one yourself. Nice cherry-wood stain to compliment the aluminum frame, a few coats of polyurethane, you're good to go.

Now designing the mold for the injection-molded polyvinyl or whatever, that's a little more expensive and time-consuming, but a good local metal-stamping place could probably get you an aluminum one pretty fast.

punkmac · Sep 28, 2004

imac to go

With a car power adapter couldn't you take it on the road?

just an idea...

I.

PlaceofDis · Sep 28, 2004

i suppose, taking from the idea of the music sheet stand, that you could make your own wooden or whatever stand that would look somewhat like a podium, but with a more vertical placement, with an almost screen/lattice type of back so the ports are accessible, that way you could move the computer between the two, have a stand, and not worry about ventilation/access to the ports, but thats only if you are crafty, i would put it together if i had the time and know how with wood, but it really isnt all that complicated when you think about it

Chip NoVaMac · Sep 28, 2004

emw said:
I think your situation is far from unique - many people work from home and the office, but seldom in between. Those cases beg for this type of solution, even without the "dock" capabilities.

Heck, you could probably build one yourself. Nice cherry-wood stain to compliment the aluminum frame, a few coats of polyurethane, you're good to go.

Now designing the mold for the injection-molded polyvinyl or whatever, that's a little more expensive and time-consuming, but a good local metal-stamping place could probably get you an aluminum one pretty fast.

Sorry to say that some of us are "power-tooled disadvantaged". It cost me about $8,000 to "fix" what I did wrong with the kitchen, not to mention about a year for the air-handler to catch up.

Some joking aside, I have other projects that I could spend time on. That is why I was looking for a quick ready made solution, only to wait for a more elegant solution.

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