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$499 Headless iMac?

powerbooks?

Does this mean we won't be getting new powerbooks?

I wonder why they wouldn't equip these with Superdrives -wouldn't the cost difference not be that much if they were to prebuild all of them with the SDs? especially if they're going to be selling these in mass quantities.
 
Jonathan Ive might approve

one3 said:
The description of this sounds a little like a mockup I did a month or two ago:

icentre.jpg
Click to expand...


I can only imagine the design to be truly amazing...
 
Expandable?

This headless iMac has GOT TO BE expandable. You got to give consumers a reason to care. Expandable graphics, HD and memory. And I think $499 is reasonable, considering a iPod photo costs about the same.

Cheap enough, I might just get one myself and use it as a server or media centre PC.
 
Can't wait to see the design. Knowing Apple, it should be a beauty. I wouldn't buy one but I can think of many friends who would.

This is a great enrty point for people looking to switch. And once they use a Mac, they are likely to stay. Smart move Apple.
 
Wow.

Jeez maybe I'm starting to fall into the Reality Distortion Field but Steve Jobs really *does* seem to be positioning Apple to take over the world. The retail stores *were* a good idea, the iPod *did* get people into them and got them looking at macs, and people *will* buy a $499 Mac, and right now the timing is perfect. People are sick to death of viruses and spyware, so a mac that costs little more than an iPod is worth a shot. It takes the risk out of buying a new OS, especially with iLife giving most users of a low end system most all the software they need, all done by Apple so you know it's good. This is gonna grow Apple market share for a change. These are going to be iPod hot before you know it. It's low power, yes, but perfect for users like me that just need the basics.

I think the rumor is gonna be accurate, right down to the lousy 256 megs of ram and smallish hard drive.

It's gonna fly off the shelves.

Hopefully the stock price goes through the roof :)

I like the mockup another poster made. I think he's probably pretty close to the design.

Any guesses as to how long it'll take Apple lawyers to try to squash this information?

God help the person that leaked this if it's true. Steve will NOT be happy.
 
think secret

Someone might know better, but Think Secret seldom makes such a definitive prediction that doesn't come true.
 
Entertainment hub, anyone?

narco said:
I really wanted to get a Cube as a second Mac in the house, but this sounds better. I'll have to wait and see what it looks like first, but I think it's a good move on Apple's part.

Fishes,
narco.
Click to expand...

This could turn out to be a bird with two heads, or
should I say, two sets of wings, after all - both a
headless iMac and/or an entertainment hub for
TV, DVD, MP3, TiVO, etc. Surely looks promising...
 
Sounds awesome, myself being a Cube user, but I like the sticking-the-entire-computer-behind-the-screen idea better now that I've seen it.
 
Another possibility...

There's another possibility - or perhaps dual use - for this device; thin client-esque devices that add processing with XGrid. It would add value to their server line, given the capabilities Mac OS X client has to be managed. A bit more expensive than genuine thin-client solutions, but for a small business it would probably work out a bargain.

Speculation: It may be that Apple will market a slightly differently configured device with the same enclosure for just such a purpose. Perhaps even as a kind of "small network bundle".

Thoughts?
 
Yah know the sexiest thing about this possibility? Easy swap out with desktop systems in an enterprise environment. Yes I’m aware of network/application integration but from the hardware standpoint its simply drop kicking the desktop out the window and slapping in one of these babies. God what a way to go to bed tonight. I think I’m having a geek orgasm. ;) :D
 
did anybody mention bluetooth? i'd be very interested to have an apple "set top box" that i could connect to my hdtv projector and living room speakers - it would however not be very good without wireless keyboard and mouse, and i just HATE overpriced and ugly dongles.
 
Sir_Giggles said:
This headless iMac has GOT TO BE expandable. You got to give consumers a reason to care. Expandable graphics, HD and memory. And I think $499 is reasonable, considering a iPod photo costs about the same.

Cheap enough, I might just get one myself and use it as a server or media centre PC.
Click to expand...
I can see the RAM and HD being upgraded. Video card, come one now, you know Apple better than this. This will be one simple all integrated unit if I had to guess. I would guess as well most people would agree with me.

jon
 
Apple just changed there homepage to all support links for the sout pacific disaster

they didn't do that when florida was hit...

cool imac idea though....
i would be very suprised.
maybe sugar is a codename for the box. it sounds more like an entertainment device to me... maybe the missing link with airport express, it could hook up to your TV or something? :rolleyes:
 
I think this is going to be huge for Apple (not iPod huge) because so many people will beable to get a Mac now. I also think Apple might now have a competitive market share.
 
would be very surprising if they did this after years of steadfastly not. iPod influence perhaps?
 
corywoolf said:
they didn't do that when florida was hit...
Click to expand...
Last time I checked I didn't remember 60,000+ people dying in Flordia.

jon
 
I don't think it has to be expandable for its intended target market. The rumored specs and price are almost enough by themselves, just give it a nice looking design and it will be an absolute winner.

It would be nice if the graphics card is CoreImage compatible, but I doubt it. As long as it is Quartz Extreme capable that will be good enough.

It would also be nice to have a Superdrive, but I think they left it out on purpose to differentiate with other Macs, and drive eventual upgrades. Most people don't use or need a DVD burner (yet), according to some surveys I've read about (but not seen myself.) Remember the price- $499. 99% of us would have never imagine that Apple would release a computer at that price. So that it's happening at all is pretty impressive, of course it's going to have some Apple-imposed limitations.

I'm really, really curious how this one will look (I'm sure it will look great!) I imagine they will stay with the iPod design motif as well. White, with a clear acrylic layer. The flat shape described in the story of course sounds like an iPod shell already.

I have an eMac that I upgraded to a DVD burner and 120 GB HD, so doubt I would ever buy this one. But I'm sure gonna tell everyone I know about it, everyone who sees my eMac loves it (all Windows users of course.) I would be tempted to buy one just to have one, if Apple's stock goes up like I expect it will (I own some shares...) :)
 
Silence

Considering my iBook never runs fan (at least I never hear it), I bet this one must be the same super quiet machine. The only concern of mine is how loud the hard drive would be. Any comment from iMac users?

If it is silent as iBook, I will definitely buy one as soon as possible.

For the GPU, I don't think Apple will never offer upgradability. But, I wish they put a GPU supporting Core Image.
 
Waiting for the right time.......

Doctor Q said:
The target audience is said to be Windows users looking for a cheap, second PC. Amazing that they could be working on this for a year and we are just hearing about it.
Click to expand...

Now that iPod is out, and in the hands of millions, this is
an opportune time to release a most sensible peripheral
to connect it with, not to mention a new user experience
to boot.

Besides, I've heard rumors that Billy G has secretly been
lobbying millions, in hope to delay this inevitable storm -
The Tiger cometh....
 
This is going to keep us busy for a while ;) ... after the enthusiasm and the blood rush settled down a bit... it is hard to think how this will pursuade people? ofcourse the there will be an initial knee jerk reaction, but more i think of it it will be the people who already have a mac (like us) that are going to buy it. The base model starting it at 500, any reasonable (minimum to run panther/tiger) would end up atleast at 600 (with out a monitor). There is no entry level monitor from apple anyway. I tried to hook up my powerbook with a cheap 200$ monitor, result was just hopeless graphics (worse than windows). With no way to upgrade, you are pretty much going to eat into imac and emac sales than get more people. no matter what ever 'wizardary' apple marketing can show, G4 is not a match for the P4. At 600 people get highend desktops (if you are lucky add a free flat panel), not an entry level computer.

leaving all the 64 bitness (unless G4 is going 64 too), what i donot get is that the demographic apple is targeting is hardly changing. most of the people buying into apple are for asthetic beauty (i donot want to start a flame war here i could be wrong!), and the point is lost once you have any 'outside' component that will not blend in. If you are talking of people wo are moving to macs because they cannot bear the malware on windows then it is the imac crowd. The botom line is that people will have to spend close to atleast 850 (computer+a decent monitor) bucks and get an half baked solution (with a very uncertain future) and would rather spend couple of hundred more and get a imac if they want a mac!

nevertheless apple slashing prices is good! After all this i might order it the day it appears!!
 
This could be very good for Apple (or very bad, but probably not). Surely though, it seems a little strange that the high-end iPod will cost more than the low-end Mac
 
With as much money as they are selling the iPod, they don't even have to worry about turning a profit at this time with the headless thingy. They have like 15 million in the bank....A very nice way to spend it! They SHOULD take the whole ibook guts, add airport and take off the screen, battery and make it about a 1/2 fatter, and you have a 500 dollar PC killer.


kyle
 
By the way, I think having a $499 headless computer as a part of the iMac family would be a tremendous mistake. They need a new name for it.
 
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