$499 Headless iMac?
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dicklacara
macrumors 6502a
Lord Blackadder said:
If you want it bomb at announce time they could call it the iMac/jr.
Seems to me that IBM had a computer named something like that a while back. Was a resounding failure! Do the name "Chicklet Keyboard" strike a familiar note?
Actually, I like the idea of a headless Mac.
It could be purchased alone, or bundled with software/hardward/cables for specific tatargeted uses:
1) iMac media-center
2) iMac server
dsharits
macrumors 68000
True, you can get a Dell for $499, but it will be a low-end brick. If you compare Apples to apples (pardon the pun), you will actually see that the Macs are cheaper. For a Windows computer, you have to figure in the antivirus subscription, the repair bills and the headaches that will come from it, and see that Macs, which may cost a few dollars more to start out, will be far more cost effective in the long run. No antivirus, infinitely better software, and no headaches after being on the phone with India for three hours. It's even worse for businesses that lose business time because of computer problems. Also, the resell value is much higher on Macs than PC's. Show me a PC from 1999 that people are willing to pay $350+ for today. The B&W G3's sell for that much and more. I have a Beige G3 from 1997 running 10.3.7 with minor upgrades. Find me a PC from 1997 that can run XP with minor upgrades. You can't do it.
Daniel
Daniel
names & ideas
The best names I've seen here so far:
iMac mini
iServe
My silly suggestions:
halfMac
iPod Station
iMac Station
Mac Lite (ok, no.)
BTW, I also think the whole Apple phone thing is going to disappoint people. It may be true that Apple & Motorola are working on such a device, but I highly doubt it'll show up this soon.
I see Jan. 11 bringing us:
# iLife '05 (as described on MacRumors main page)
# Asteroid (for GarageBand; iLife '05 accessory)
# Keynote 2
# Crossbow (code-name for an Apple Word Processor)
# Slingshot (code-name for an Apple Spreadsheet)
# Sugar (code-name for ? - sweetens the whole deal)
# and finally - this headless G4 Mac
If they have iLife, updated "AppleWorks" basics (word processor & spreadsheet along with keynote), and a cheap headless Mac, they'll be set for world domination. The phone can come next June.
The best names I've seen here so far:
iMac mini
iServe
My silly suggestions:
halfMac
iPod Station
iMac Station
Mac Lite (ok, no.)
BTW, I also think the whole Apple phone thing is going to disappoint people. It may be true that Apple & Motorola are working on such a device, but I highly doubt it'll show up this soon.
I see Jan. 11 bringing us:
# iLife '05 (as described on MacRumors main page)
# Asteroid (for GarageBand; iLife '05 accessory)
# Keynote 2
# Crossbow (code-name for an Apple Word Processor)
# Slingshot (code-name for an Apple Spreadsheet)
# Sugar (code-name for ? - sweetens the whole deal)
# and finally - this headless G4 Mac
If they have iLife, updated "AppleWorks" basics (word processor & spreadsheet along with keynote), and a cheap headless Mac, they'll be set for world domination. The phone can come next June.
TheInevitable
macrumors member
How about the iMac mini?
zelmo
macrumors 603
dsharits said:
But when there's a $500 Mac on the market, I think you'll see the value of used PowerMac's drop quite a bit. People are willing to pay $300+ for a 5 yr. old PowerMac today, only because a new one is quite expensive. Once I can buy a new Mac for $499, even the upgradeability of a used system isn't going to lure me all that much. I'd rather buy new and replace it in two years, as opposed to buying used for $350, shelling out $300 more for a processor card, then more $$ for a GPU.
Or not at all, as "announced" by Apple. It's a Moto phone. I think Steve will mention it, but that's all. It will not be available at Apple stores, or even on the website. It'll be Moto's name on the phone, Apple will be mentioned on the box (and buried in the maze of dopey menus somewhere on the phone itself).Damek said:
-hh
macrumors 68030
digitaleon said:
Sure.
I agree with your idea of an XGrid module. FWIW, I've mentioned this network/modularity concept here a couple of times before, including that its my intellectual property (hello Apple Legal!). Working on the cheap end allows a Windows household to risk dipping a small toe in, and if they like it, the hardware doesn't become obsolete, but just becomes one modular building block to transition more of their PC's over to Mac's: you just add to your XGrid processing stack. If you grow the idea a little, you can see how with wireless technologies, the "MacStack" CPU's can hide in a closet or pretty much be distributed anywhere in the household, and do power sharing wherever there's client demand.
In terms of form factors, I think they'll go for an iBook sized enclosure, and I expect it to use one of their existing motherboards because that streamlines manufacturing and saves Apple money. This means that the iBooks, PowerBooks and even the new G5 iMac are all eligible donors.
Further, the "default" configuration will be the horizontal of the old "pizza box", because everyone has been talking about the "media convergence device" for all too long, and a headless laptop form factor fits in perfectly with the DirectTV pizza box and competes against the TiVO by being a convergence device...the TV is the Computer Monitor, which is why Apple doesn't need to supply one (and "Switcher" Windows users will simply recycle their existing CRT/LCD hardware). Don't forget that a ~1GHz G4 with a single PCI slot can pop in an AlchemyTV DVR card in there, and if someone like Apple offered to buy a half million cards, they would get a nice price break
-hh
PS: on names, you could go with "tryMac" and offer the product under a "90 days for $90" promotion. If they're going to be a Switcher, 90 days ought to cover it. The promotion could also allow trade-ups, where the $90 lease is applied as a credit to the purchase of a higher-end Mac.
artifex
macrumors 6502a
I swear, I'm going to make a plastic fascia with irregular holes in the front, and call it mac&cheese! Especially if it's a wedge shape. Someone with little kids could add glue and dry noodles...
Oh, that reminds me, did you hear about the new program to recycle the petroleum products out of old iMac cases, into road-building materials?
It's called tarmac .
Oh, that reminds me, did you hear about the new program to recycle the petroleum products out of old iMac cases, into road-building materials?
It's called tarmac .
SeaFox
macrumors 68030
powermac666 said:I thought it was hilarious.
I thought so, too. And actually true in some ways (yeah, everyone will flame me now). Not that I think there should be any "requirements" to buy a Mac (above those that I think should be in place to buy a computer in general).
I think if anything causes the separate cultures to develop between the Mac and PC camp, it's simply the choice in OS, not the price tag of the computer itself that causes it. The PC will attract a differnet crowd because of things like the "Games Gap," general software and accessory availability disparages and such, while the Mac will attract people who aren't afraid to go against the grain, maybe even get their hands dirty on their OS.
Philistines
Perfect, Apple could start weeding out the riff-raff by grepping Mac Forums' posts for people who need smilies for comprehensionSiliconAddict said:It would help if there was.....
The whole internet and typed text thing makes determining one's tone of voice just a tad difficult.
jettredmont
macrumors 68030
sjpetry said:I wonder what the name will be for the headless Mac?
iCabod
anonymous161
macrumors 6502
I think we are forgetting iMac Express
SiliconAddict
macrumors 603
Damek said:
And apparently mine and at least one other person's.
anonymous161
macrumors 6502
Rootman: Wasn't there a rumor of a screenless iPod?
Along with a headless iMac, are we witnessing the end of the GUI? Are we ready for this? We freaked when Next and then Apple dropped the floppy drive. Let's not panic when Steve takes us beyond the bondage of the display.
Ahh yes, finally Apple forgoes the formality and we simply put up our credit cards for small boxes with pulsing LEDs
I wonder when I can order a large polycarb box with a pulsing light to occupy when I am six feet under. Or maybe aluminum. iCoffin
Maybe if I am cremated an iCoffin Express
Along with a headless iMac, are we witnessing the end of the GUI? Are we ready for this? We freaked when Next and then Apple dropped the floppy drive. Let's not panic when Steve takes us beyond the bondage of the display.
Ahh yes, finally Apple forgoes the formality and we simply put up our credit cards for small boxes with pulsing LEDs
I wonder when I can order a large polycarb box with a pulsing light to occupy when I am six feet under. Or maybe aluminum. iCoffin
Maybe if I am cremated an iCoffin Express
iCabod? Genius.
A million forty thousand. I haven't laughed so hard in days.
Forty thousand points to jettredmont. One hundred forty thousand points, even though iCabod would be better suited for all those poor Dells which fall victim to the headless iMac. Too bad you can't work Brom Bones into the Mac naming scheme, eh?jettredmont said:
A million forty thousand. I haven't laughed so hard in days.
Blue Velvet
Moderator emeritus
Mr_Ed said:
What? Like Thunderbird?