eMacs phased out of Retail Stores?

[MacRumors]

ThinkSecret reports that eMacs are being replaced on shelves at Apple Retail stores with 17" iMac G5's. There's no official word as to why the switch is taking place.

AppleInsider claims that a revision to the eMac lineup has been in the works for the last six months, and is waiting for Apple to give the go-ahead for a full production ramp.

[coumerelli]

I happen to hit the Apple store in STL and noticed that at the kids table they've got all iMacs now - I was thinking the same thing.

[AirUncleP]

Please oh Please Apple...do not phase out the eMac. They are the best solution for schools.

[Macaddicttt]

Originally Posted by AirUncleP

Please oh Please Apple...do not phase out the eMac. They are the best solution for schools.

Yeah, I agree with that, but they definitely need updates to stay competitive. Hopefully this signals a complete revamp of the eMac line, not a phasing out.

[iGary]

A school full of elementary students would trash iMacs.

[wordmunger]

Originally Posted by AirUncleP

Please oh Please Apple...do not phase out the eMac. They are the best solution for schools.

Actually I think iBooks are the best solution for schools. I've taught in computer classrooms, and with big computers like the eMac it's a real pain -- the computers get in the way, and you can't see the students. They shouldn't phase out eMacs, though -- they're great for regular classrooms where you just want a couple in the corner somewhere for special projects (and for teachers to use for e-mail, etc.).

[Jalexster]

They are probably phasing them out of the consumer market, and having them so that they are special order only for schools, like the education Mac mini or iMac G5 (no modem, etc...).

[iGary]

Originally Posted by wordmunger

Actually I think iBooks are the best solution for schools. I've taught in computer classrooms, and with big computers like the eMac it's a real pain -- the computers get in the way, and you can't see the students. They shouldn't phase out eMacs, though -- they're great for regular classrooms where you just want a couple in the corner somewhere for special projects (and for teachers to use for e-mail, etc.).

I've got a friend who runs labs full of iBooks for a school district, he's no Mac-hater, but he says they spend 2 for 1 fixing the iBooks versus the PC laptops.

[JeffTL]

I'm certain Apple would be swift to suggest that schools look at the Mini and any ol' CRT, a solution possibly even better than an eMac, but nowhere near as convenient (not being all-in-one).

[Arcady]

How about a CRT unit with a mac mini sized slot? Pop down a door on the front, slide in a mac mini, and then lock the door. Have all the ports replicated on the back or side of the machine. When something goes wrong, just slide out the mini and take it for service.

Just an idea.

[wordmunger]

Originally Posted by iGary

I've got a friend who runs labs full of iBooks for a school district, he's no Mac-hater, but he says they spend 2 for 1 fixing the iBooks versus the PC laptops.

Well, that might be true from a service perspective (though I've never heard that before), but from the teacher perspective laptops are much better than desktops.

[Jopling]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they dropped the eMacs all together. Hasn't Apple been losing out on them?

[virividox]

i think the emacs are great machines!!! dont phase them out!!!

[milzay]

Lets get realy, they suck in todays market. I think they are bad for the Apple image too, they jst havent got the finish that makes an Apple product. Maybe see eMac revision, should be interesting.

[jayscheuerle]

Originally Posted by iGary

A school full of elementary students would trash iMacs.

With your avatar, you come across as very authoritative making these proclamations!

[Dont Hurt Me]

You dont give kids iMacs ,you give them Macminis locked in a cabinet and wired to some cheapo power hungry crt. enough said! Kill off the red headed step child known as Emac. Its allways been a odd ball in the line up, they way it was realeased, the way it wasnt marketed nor given much upgrading. Im glad its gone now if they will just kill off those FX5200s they are using everywhere we might get somewhere. I would like to see MacMini,Imac,( a consumer tower half the size of Powermac) and Powermac. That would make a good line up instead of the years and years of all in ones with garbage video vs Powermac.

[hayesk]

Originally Posted by Dont Hurt Me

Kill off the red headed step child known as Emac. Its allways been a odd ball in the line up, they way it was realeased, the way it wasnt marketed nor given much upgrading. Im glad its gone now if they will just kill off those FX5200s they are using everywhere we might get somewhere.

I disagree. As much as the Mac mini is marketed towards switchers, the eMac is an inexpensive all-in-one for those that want to add a second computer to a different location in their house.

[swissmann]

Originally Posted by Macaddicttt

Yeah, I agree with that, but they definitely need updates to stay competitive. Hopefully this signals a complete revamp of the eMac line, not a phasing out.

I too hope that it isn't a killing just a change. Kids are always touching the monitor to point to things. I can see the iMac screen being damaged and tipping over from time to time. Just improve the eMac and lower the price a bit.

[Moxiemike]

Here's my guess, as I sit in front of a 17" iMac G5....

There's agap between the plastic and the LCD. It shows the clear plastic they use for the case, combined with the white plastic that gives it it's color.

Then I look at my iPod Photo, who's creators also gave us the iMac.

There's no gap over the screen, it's flush. I'm thinking rev B. iMac G5 takes the optical-less edu model, and puts a plastic cover of sorts over the screen.

There's two models: a 1.8 ghz G5 17" with no optical for $799edu ONLY and a 17" 2.0 ghz G5 17", no optical for $999 edu ONLY. Figure that 1.8 ghz G5's for edu is perfect, and given that the no optical on currently costs $999, they could easily drop that $200 and give a similarly spec'd one with a slight faster processor for $999.

Come in with the low end at $699, 1.6 ghz (is it possible?) with 17" screen and 40gb HD (all others have 80gb std, in my model) with no optical and sell it for $599.

So you have protected screen iMacs for EDU at:

$599 1.6 G5 17" with 40 gb HD no optical
$799 1.8 G5 17" with 80 gb HD no optical
$999 2.0 G5 17" with 80 gb HD no optical

This leads the way for new iMacs at:

$999 1.8 G5 17" with 80gb, 512ram, Combo drive
$1299 2.0 G5 17" with 160gb, 512ram, Superdrive
$1499 1.8 G5 20" with 80gb, 512 ram, Combo drive
$1699 2.0 G5 20" with 160gb, 512 ram, Superdrive

I dunno. Pie in the sky maybe, but talk about bang for the buck!

[Zaty]

Phasing out the eMac (at least for non-educational customers) makes perfect sense. Who wants to buy a bulky CRT AIO computer these days? I've said before Apple will drop the eMac sometime in 2005 so this comes as no surprise. If they keep it for schools etc. remains to been seen, though.

[wordmunger]

How about an imac mini for education? Base it on the mac mini, but give it an integrated 15-inch LCD screen, which gives you roughly the same usable screen area as the 17-inch CRT eMac. Takes up much less room, but is big and bulky enough that it's not an easy target for theft. If it was price similar to the old eMac, it just might work.

[speleoterra]

Didn't need a iMac to replace my aging 1997 6500 Performa for the home, got a eMac 8 months ago and it is a wonderful solid machine, and I come from the pre-press industry where the Macs I use are G5s.
CRT screens are probably costing Apple money and they are always tring to streamline the bottom line. With all the CRTs sitting in schools from other vendors, the MacMini does seem like a obvious sell to take over a Dell dominated classroom. Take the Dell CDT & keyboard, plug them into the MacMini and look at the $$$ you just saved the school board in purchases, and the $70,000 salary of the IT guy who know has nothing to do.
Still, it would be nice if there was a way to keep the eMac. And you're right,..kids would kill a imac, our eMac is covered with my kids fingers no matter how much I clean it. I LOVE my 12" Powerbook, my eMac is close second.

[jouster]

Originally Posted by Moxiemike

$599 1.6 G5 17" with 40 gb HD no optical
$799 1.8 G5 17" with 80 gb HD no optical
$999 2.0 G5 17" with 80 gb HD no optical

Hard to see how those prices could be reached. I mean, the 20 inch LCD is $999 on its own. Yet you're suggesting a 2.0 GHz G5, and an 80GB HD (as well as a motherboard and all the rest of the necessary stuff) albeit on a slightly smaller screen, for the same price?

Those prices seem *very* optimistic for a G5 based system with LCD screens.

[bosrs1]

It's about time. At first I thought this wasn't the best idea, but the more I think about it, the eMac is OLD. It's based alot on the 1998 iMac. It's design does not fit the current line, and the CRT is garbage. I've had two eMacs and both had problems with quality control on many different parts. Plus there is no reason to stick with CRT anymore now that LCD prices are falling. It's time for the venerable tank to go to pasture.

[kenaustus]

The eMac is still a rock solid computer and I doubt if Apple is going to drop it. First, they listen to what the schools are saying and accommodate their desires - the market is just too bug for them not to.

Second, the eMac can be upgraded with faster chips, G4 or G5, and can get other improvements to boost performance. G4 provides a means of maintaining a relationship with FreeScale, which is of value in the long term if FS comes out with a rocking dual core G4 chip. G5 might provide for lower costs on all G5 chips, but I wouldn't put a lot of money on that one.

The eMac also provides a very important price point between the Mac mini and the iMac, which I think Apple wants to take advantage of.

I also think that the CRT will stay as a lot of people working in the graphics area will feel more comfortable with it. The change over point, for me, will be when the difference in costs of shipping the eMac with a CRT is greater than the difference in moving up to a flat screen.

As for consumers, those that go into the Apple Store to look at the Mac mini might well walk out with an eMac if they find the iMac's screen far better than the one they have at home. Adding to the Mac mini can bring it close to the eMac's cost and that eMac screen does look better than most PC CRT's I've seen over the years.