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iMac G5 - can it top the iMac G4 for visual appeal and functionality?

C

ChrisH3677

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 6, 2003
774
102
Victoria, Australia
I'm actually expecting Apple to take a backward step next week with the iMac G5. I reckon the iMac G4 can't be topped for visual design and functionality.

Sure it's going to be all in one, but from the rumors that have leaked, it sounds like we're going to see something more akin to the original Macs, the iMac G3's or the eMac, but of course with LCD display.

I don't see how they can top the iMac G4 for visual appeal. I saw "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" on the weekend, and the iMac G4s were everywhere and they just looked stunning. If the iMac G5 is brushed aluminum, it will look good, but the white, clear and chrome of the G4 iMac... dunno... just has something extra.

Add to that the functionality the neck design gives them - which is the primary reason the Australian NSW Road Traffic Authority 1100 of bought them.

So, if the new iMac G5 loses the neck, and reverts to a display and unit all in one box, I for one will be a little sadder.

Just look at the 20th anniversary Mac. Looked sensational, but can't top the iMac G4. I expect the same with the G5 iMac.

What do others expect? What are your thoughts on the old design and the likely new one?

PS I hope the rumors are wrong and that Apple does produce a design that still lets the display "float".
 
I read somewhere (can't remember where -- something like Appleinsider) that the new iMac would look similar to this style of Sony desktops:

W Series Sony

I think that looks like Apple-style design, so maybe we should expect something similar.

Or maybe not.

By next week, we should know all about the new iMac (assuming it is announced in Paris, of course)!

:)
 
Let's hope that rumour isn't true?!?!!

I personally don't like the look of those Sony things at all...
but agree above that the outgoing iMac is a very cool looking machine...

one of the big reasons I switched is that all products from Apple just look so much nicer and stylish than anything else I've ever seen...

oh yeah and beause they work!
 
I'm holding out hope that Apple does indeed surprise and wow us with the G5 iMac design. I just can't see them, as you say, taking a step backwards.

Doesn't anyone else remember Steve's big topic from the Flat Panel iMac introduction? He said that after a few failed designs (CPU behind LCD) they came up with the mantra: "let each piece be true to itself". He said, why have a flat screen and then jam a bunch of stuff on the back? Is it still flat? No. Let it be flat, true to it self. Let it be just the screen. Some of the parts of the computer need to be horiztonal, so let them be horizontal. He also said one of the worst things about having a great new LCD was having to put a phone book underneath it to get it to the proper height, that is where the adjustable arm came from.

Now, maybe Apple is going to use those really small iPod hard drives and basically a laptop logic board and tack all that onto the back of an LCD so that it is--almost--flat. I don't know. Can they design that around the G5?

I've said this in other threads: the "leaked" specs and design, if true at all, have to be for the eMac replacement. There was talk of a no CD drive model for the edu market. I think all of the specs were for the edu market. Remember, schools have kids and they need more durable machines than the current iMac. Putting the CPU behind an LCD like that Sony does provide more durability but also reduces the footprint of the eMac. It also upgrades the eMac to LCD and G5.

Steve has been wrong many times but he was not wrong on his design points for the iMac. He was wrong at the intro when he said this was the death of the CRT. It was not. But now, in late 2004, Apple can probably have an all LCD line-up. The time is right.

As much as some of us love the FP iMac, it never really did connect with consumers like the CRT iMac. The FP was a bit cold, not as "loveable and huggable" as the first. It will be interesting to see which way the new design leans.

Apple still has something great planned for the iMac. We will be amazed once again.

At least I hope so.
 
I think that Apple will alienate many education markets if they drop CRTs altogether. The big issue is that CRTs are much more durable and do much better under the abuse of careless students. For that reason I think that Apple will not be able to drop CRTs from it's line up. They made a mistake by dropping floppy drives when they did, and I don't think that they are going to make a similar mistake again. Although, I would not mourn the loss of the eMac. They are very heavy, with not much to help you carry them. The power button it hiding so far back it's ridiculous, and if the new Apple keyboards are too close (as in on a desk in a lab), the optical tray doesn't have clearance to open. I think that the eMac is due for an enclosure redesign.
 
i think it will be very tough to replace the current iMac. like others have said, it is just so pleasing to the eye, yet extremely functional. truthfully, i'm worried that apple will be unable to build on such a great computer as the current and past iMacs. :(

with that said, this is apple we are talking about. if anyone can pull this off, it's apple. ;)
 
what is with all you saying lcds are bad for education sure elementary school kids might mistreat the computers but do they need the latest and greatest machines
lots i know about in my district use original imacs and those old AIO 233 g3s what about high schools the ones it my district use lcd imac with a few other comps in the office oh and about 5 emacs for special ed in each school and then there is collage and universities all of which in my area that i know off(havent seen all) use lcd imacs at least or powermacs with cinema displays and students usually have there own laptops ect.
and sure there will be ones breaking in high schools and places of higher learning but crts and computers in general can be broken
so if they went all lcd it wont alienate the market
LCD is the future you might as well embrace it
 
Anarchy99 said:
what is with all you saying lcds are bad for education sure elementary school kids might mistreat the computers but do they need the latest and greatest machines
<snip>
LCD is the future you might as well embrace it
Click to expand...

Yes, LCD is the future, but it's not the present. And I know plenty of high school and college age students even adults, that having used CRT monitors all their life, don't know or understand the special care that it takes to not break or damage an LCD. Until LCDs become as cheap and durable as CRT screens they will remain the future and not the present. Another harsh downfall of LCD technology is color reproduction. Even the best LCD panel cannot truly rival CRT in terms of accurate and consistent color representation. Since an LCD looks slightly different from different angles, many computer designers still prefer CRT for accuracy. No, LCDs are far from taking over the monitor market, and their future is still many years off. For Apple to drop the CRT would be like them dropping the floppy drive, except that you can still get a CRT for you PowerMac.
 
the reason i first looked at Apple is because of the current iMac design, then i really dug OS X when I looked at it at the Apple Store, then decided to buy an eMac because it was a better buy.
 
they cant wow with the all-in-one anymore. yes it was an excelent idea when the iMac was introduced, and the new iMac just made the idea a little cooler . . . but now every computer company has their own version. they need something revolutionary, like an all in one with a removable monitor.. . . so you can go cheap and buy just the computer, or go for simplicity and buy the all-in-one. or the computer should be more integrated into the monitor and it should be more like a tablet rather than a desktop. either way, we will see soon!
 
MacUser1 said:
i think it will be very tough to replace the current iMac. like others have said, it is just so pleasing to the eye, yet extremely functional. truthfully, i'm worried that apple will be unable to build on such a great computer as the current and past iMacs. :(

)
Click to expand...

What's odd is the idea that apple needs a complete redesign. Why is that necessary?

Sure, you need new bits and pieces, and perhaps a different box material (metal instead of white), but why tinker with the fundamental premise of a small, self-contained CPU with a monitor attached to it with a pivoting arm? Make the base a cube, or a "pizza box" or something else; make the pivoting arm different, or rising from the back, instead of the middle; and add all the other good bits, like a G5, slot-loading drive, etc., and you could have something evolutionary, and better, rather than revolutionary. And why revolution when sometimes those fail?
 
Curves still in at Apple

This is really coming from left field but is there any chance that the rounded design of the Apple booth is a hint of what's to come with the G5 iMac?

It at least makes me optimistic that curves are still on at Apple. And Steve did drop that half-dome teaser at WWDC.
 
I'm not worried about the imac G5's design.

All I have to say is that the imac G5 had better not top the imac G4 in *PRICE*. F*** a $1500 "consumer" desktop.

Earth to Apple, we need real performance for $1000.

-vga4life
 
beg_ne said:
I'm surprised I haven't seen this picture floating around more. And it sure looks a lot better than the recent photos being circulated.

Better than the iMac G4? I think so :)

http://brianimations.is-a-geek.net/imac_g5.jpg
Click to expand...

very interesting. I'd bet that could be an eMac but not an iMac.

With the iMac, Apple seem to like the idea of providing different display options. The iMac G4 makes that a lot easier that say that design above, which requires a different case for each size. (Yeah - I know they had to add ballast to the 20inch - but that's pretty minor)

So if Apple plan to continue offering options on display sizes (as ThinkSecret is suggesting), don't expect the display to be built in.

I could be wrong, but having to tool up for different size cases, pushes the price up and that's the last thing Apple should be doing.
 
ChrisH3677 said:
I'm actually expecting Apple to take a backward step next week with the iMac G5. I reckon the iMac G4 can't be topped for visual design and functionality.
Click to expand...

Well I have more hope. For one if they go the metal look then for me they are already taking a good step forward.

Secondly, if they improve the footprint issue (especially the speakers) then thats another plus to me.

Thirdly, if they put USB and Firewire into the screen like they have for the new PM screens, another tick from me.
 
aswitcher said:
Well I have more hope. For one if they go the metal look then for me they are already taking a good step forward.

.
Click to expand...


i cant see them being alu as i think they are still rigid with there pro line/consumer line colours... (although there has been talk of chameleon effects)

as to the original poster... i also would be dissapointed to see the current imac go... and i would rush out and buy one now if it was fast enough even a 1.5 processor with a radeon 9600 64mb would do it for me...i hope they dont have a cheesy all in one...
 
dotnina said:
I read somewhere (can't remember where -- something like Appleinsider) that the new iMac would look similar to this style of Sony desktops:

W Series Sony
Click to expand...

This is the design confirmed to be selected by steve jobs.

It'll be much skinnier though, from reports.

Actually that sony has a better video card than the one reported to be in the new iMac. It has built in RF inputs, for instance.
 
slughead said:
This is the design confirmed to be selected by steve jobs.

It'll be much skinnier though, from reports.

Actually that sony has a better video card than the one reported to be in the new iMac. It has built in RF inputs, for instance.
Click to expand...

I really dislike the keyboard intergration.

And it better be thinner than this machine...its pretty thick.
 
For me they HAVE to keep the "flexibility" of the current iMac design. I ahve seen it in retail (not just Apple), and for the home user. You would NOt believe how some people have their screens adjusted.
 
The current iMac design is the most intuative, easy, and appealing form factor of any computer I have ever seen. It would be a shame to see that nice arm go.
 
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