eMac G5 put on hold. G4 model back in production

[quagmire]

AI reports the eMac G5 was put on hold and the current G4 is back in production. The main culprit for the delay is the shortage of the G5 chips. The emac G5 was going to use the 1.6 Ghz G5 but, they want the chips to go to the iMac G5. Also, the G5 eMac was going to have a significant component reorganization. Apple is planning to release the new eMac revision in early 2005. Which sounds to me it would be MWSF.

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=760

[Daveway]

Somehow i knew his would happen. If it wasn't released this week it just wouldn't be. The excuse is viable but i tend to think IBM has perfected he 1.6 considering how long they have produced them and that there can't be that much of a shortage due to the fact that most imacs sold use the 1.8ghz processor. This is good news in one way because it will keep at bay the numerous complaints that Apple is pushing all of its consumer products to G5 without doing the Powerbook first.

[h00ligan]

an emac g5 whith a slow ass powerbook g4.

GOOOOOOO APPLE!

lame.

[mcarnes]

They should just drop the emac line. Those things are so butt-ugly it makes the whole company look bad (IMO!). They should bring back the 17" G4 iMac design and make it the low model. That would kick.

[Lancetx]

If they can get an eMac with a 1.6 GHz G5 processor out the door during the 1st Quarter of 2005, especially at the current eMac price points, then they're doing well. I totally disagree with anyone that thinks this is in any way related to the PowerBooks though. The PowerBooks will be ready for a G5 (or Dual Core G4) when they're ready, the eMac G5 isn't going to be held back at all regardless of when the next gen PowerBooks are ever good to go.

[Jovian9]

If they have an eMac G5 ready before a PB G5 then they should release it. I'd love to have a PB G5 like everyone else, but I'd also love for people who can't afford the iMac G5 to be able to get an up to date eMac.

[Steven1621]

apple should at least give the emac a speed bump before than

[Brandon Sharitt]

I may actually get a G5 eMac, but only if they give me a video card bigger than 32 Mb.

[Doctor Q]

Originally Posted by mcarnes

They should just drop the emac line. Those things are so butt-ugly it makes the whole company look bad (IMO!). They should bring back the 17" G4 iMac design and make it the low model. That would kick.

The People keep poking my screen thread has convinced me that schools should still consider CRTs, which are more indestructible than LCD-based computers. The eMac, after all, was originally intended only for schools, before it grew to be a consumer Mac because it filled a niche in the product line.

[ClimbingTheLog]

No updates after Thanksgiving and before MWSF. That's given.

I betcha the Hardware VP got sacked over this, and G5 chip availability in general. There's no reason for shortages of 1.6's at the point.

[oingoboingo]

Originally Posted by mcarnes

They should just drop the emac line. Those things are so butt-ugly it makes the whole company look bad (IMO!). They should bring back the 17" G4 iMac design and make it the low model. That would kick.

The 17" LCD panel would make it too expensive to sell at the current eMac price point.

[yoda13]

This is interesting. I would welcome a G5 in an eMac. However, you think that people were complaining about the graphics card in the iMac, unless updates are imminent on it, then they will have an even lesser graphics card here, which is too bad, but it can't be any other way, as far as I can see anyway.

[Koodauw]

Lets face it. We all know there isn't enough 1.6 chips cause they're all going into the PB G5. Comeing Tuesday to a store near you.

[oingoboingo]

Originally Posted by yoda13

This is interesting. I would welcome a G5 in an eMac. However, you think that people were complaining about the graphics card in the iMac, unless updates are imminent on it, then they will have an even lesser graphics card here, which is too bad, but it can't be any other way, as far as I can see anyway.

Apple would probably just put the nVidia FX5200 in there. Could they release a new machine in 2005 without hardware support for CoreImage and CoreVideo (the Radeon 9200 doesn't support hardware acceleration)? Of course it is the Apple way to deliberately cripple otherwise fantastic products, so we should be surprised to see the same Radeon 9200 rolled out again (although hopefully with some extra video RAM).

[djkny]

eMac on hold? I think that was a typo. Apple Insider meant PowerBooks...

[JeffTL]

Originally Posted by mcarnes

They should just drop the emac line. Those things are so butt-ugly it makes the whole company look bad (IMO!). They should bring back the 17" G4 iMac design and make it the low model. That would kick.

Except that the iMac G4 was very expensive to make (Think the arm), explaining why they were able to slash the prices while increasing specs on the G5 to an extremely competitive price point, almost as good as that of the iBook for attracting switchers.


Plus, a CRT Mac is a good thing for schools (or parents of small children, or just people who don't like to clean LCDs) that don't want relatively expensive and cable-cluttered PowerMacs everywhere but don't want to have to get a Dell either.

As for G5ing the eMac, a slightly better graphics card is in order (as is in order for the iMac G5 at the next upgrade), but even just putting in the processor (64-bit at and hopefully refreshing the design can only be a good thing. 64-bit at $800 (and even less for schools and students!) can only have one effect -- diffusion of innovation as not only the eMacs sell rapidly, but Dell has to catch up.

[vwcruisn]

good, maybe apple is going to concentrate on the damn G5 PBs. Ive been waiting for what seems like eternity

My rev1 17in PB is so busted up, its only use is as a desktop for now. Whenever it gets the slightest jolt (as in setting it LIGHTLY on a table, it dies and i have to hard restar!)

[Windowlicker]

Originally Posted by mcarnes

They should just drop the emac line. Those things are so butt-ugly it makes the whole company look bad (IMO!). They should bring back the 17" G4 iMac design and make it the low model. That would kick.

There's one thing to remember: CRT is still a lot cheaper than LCD. That's what makes the eMac cheaper. if they drop it, there won't be the $800 entry level and lots of people will buy a PC instead, because the price goes over 1000.

Well, at least that's what I believe.

[Windowlicker]

Originally Posted by Doctor Q

The People keep poking my screen thread has convinced me that schools should still consider CRTs, which are more indestructible than LCD-based computers. The eMac, after all, was originally intended only for schools, before it grew to be a consumer Mac because it filled a niche in the product line.

Good point! I hate people touching my 17" SD TFT! I can imagine how much the TFT's would suffer in an elementary school.. :Q

[warcraftmaster]

i think this is good so there is more hype for(x-mas) the imac g5. then some cheap emac which sucks at games. so more money for apple, right? i bet a emac g5 would kill sales of the imac.

this is kinda like what there doing with the aac+ thing. its not out beacuse then the ipod photo would hold like 20,000 songs. who would pay for some thing like that. and if there is a flash ipod its not out with that(aac+) too cuss it would just kill the ipod mini this xmas. a flash ipod like hold just as much as the ipod mini (if not more)but with better batties. if you know about aac+ you that its a very good thing for apple.

[quackattack]

I'm going to agree with the most predictable whine ever. People would freak out if there was eMac G5 before a Powerbook G5. Just reading this thread can be a sample of the potential backlash . I'm torn here because while I think that if the technology exists for a eMac G5 it should happen..... but it doesn't make me feel too good knowing that my $2300 has a slower processor than that sub-consumer level beast.

On another note, I am starting to agree with those of that think the eMac should stay CRT. I have visions of small children in a school computer lab discovering the "cool rings" when you jab your crayon into an LCD

[virividox]

this is bad news i think, roll out the g5s in all your products already, cept the ibook

[Dahl]

Originally Posted by quackattack

I'm going to agree with the most predictable whine ever. People would freak out if there was eMac G5 before a Powerbook G5. Just reading this thread can be a sample of the potential backlash

I disagree, the eMac and Powerbooks are as far part as possible. They are not for the same type of customer, so it really doesn't matter which gets a G5 first. These things are only important to hardcore Apple fans.
I might get an eMac for my son (4 years old), but not a Powerbook.

[broken_keyboard]

These chip problems never seem to end. Should have switched to Intel years ago.

If your Mac was running an Intel chip right now, would OS X look any different? Would the computer look any different? No.

[Chappers]

I think I agree with warcraftmaster on this. A G5 eMac would eat into sales of the iMac which is obviously being pushed to go nicely with the iPod.