I've gone Windows...

[jaymzuk]

Do you not think may - just maybe - they have something special planned for the new imacs and want to save it for a special event? Like a keynote?

Maybe they will have retina, maybe it will be an all new design, maybe it will be more then that.

Just chill out, the current Imacs are no slouch, your just being a bunch of impatient, power hungry people who want the next best thing everyday.

Maybe Apple will just give it a minor spec bump like it did with the Pro line?

Having just purchased an iMac for a family member, after having nothing but good experiences with iPhones and iPads, I really don't see the fuss about the iMac. My 3 year old Core 2 Quad system trounces it on the face of using the iMac straight out of the box, and back then it cost £300 less than the iMac does now.

I think we need to face up to the fact that Apple are more about fashion than they are about technology. The iPhone is the phone to be seen to have. The iPad is the tablet to be seen to have. Macbooks are the laptops to be seen to have. Desktops? Why would Apple care about those? Everyone knows that posers will pay top whack to have something that's new and fashionable.

 

[turtlez]

Maybe Apple will just give it a minor spec bump like it did with the Pro line?

Having just purchased an iMac for a family member, after having nothing but good experiences with iPhones and iPads, I really don't see the fuss about the iMac. My 3 year old Core 2 Quad system trounces it on the face of using the iMac straight out of the box, and back then it cost £300 less than the iMac does now.

I think we need to face up to the fact that Apple are more about fashion than they are about technology. The iPhone is the phone to be seen to have. The iPad is the tablet to be seen to have. Macbooks are the laptops to be seen to have. Desktops? Why would Apple care about those? Everyone knows that posers will pay top whack to have something that's new and fashionable.

Thing is, Apple have one other thing in their computers and that is os x. The operating system is almost perfect leaving windows in the dust. That is why most people on this forum buy macs anyway. Please don't join the hating cult saying that we only buy Apple stuff to be fashionable. I have had it up to here with you apple hating sheep.

 

[jaymzuk]

Thing is, Apple have one other thing in their computers and that is os x. The operating system is almost perfect leaving windows in the dust. That is why most people on this forum buy macs anyway. Please don't join the hating cult saying that we only buy Apple stuff to be fashionable. I have had it up to here with you apple hating sheep.

I love my iPhone, and my iPad. I just don't get why OSX is sooooooo much better than Windows.

Apple is very much about fashion. It's a bit like the band that got famous and sold out, then bragging that you liked them before they were big.

I'm no sheep. I don't drink the kool-aid of 'Apple have got something in the pipeline and it's going to be amazing', or 'It just works', or 'Samsung made a misstep so I'm going to insult them like there's no tomorrow, but give Apple a free pass on Maps, Siri, Ping and tiny spec bumps on the pro line'. I buy a product for what it is, and pass judgement on it. The iPhone is a great bit of kit but no longer a million miles ahead of the pack, and OSX is just different from Windows 7.

 

[Unhyper]

Are there monitors that can recreate the quality of the iMac display? I have a Windows box with a 24" Full HD LCD monitor, but compared to OSX on my iMac, Windows looks really ****** on it. This is particularly noticeable when browsing the web and looking at large masses of text; the clarity just isn't there.

Is this an issue with how Windows uses the display, or can this be remedied with a higher quality monitor?

 

[omenatarhuri]

I love my iPhone, and my iPad. I just don't get why OSX is sooooooo much better than Windows.

Apple is very much about fashion. It's a bit like the band that got famous and sold out, then bragging that you liked them before they were big.

I'm no sheep. I don't drink the kool-aid of 'Apple have got something in the pipeline and it's going to be amazing', or 'It just works', or 'Samsung made a misstep so I'm going to insult them like there's no tomorrow, but give Apple a free pass on Maps, Siri, Ping and tiny spec bumps on the pro line'. I buy a product for what it is, and pass judgement on it. The iPhone is a great bit of kit but no longer a million miles ahead of the pack, and OSX is just different from Windows 7.

Well, i recently built a very powerful pc and installed mountain lion and windows 8 on it. I find myself using os x basically for everything except gaming. I just like os x in general, the way it looks and how everything works. In windows you miss things like easy searching, dock, expose, mail,safari, viruslessness, etc.

Anyway hackintosh is one way to go if you want new HW and os x. Altho be warned, it is not always that easy. Be prepared to use time for maintenance.

 

[talmy]

Are there monitors that can recreate the quality of the iMac display? I have a Windows box with a 24" Full HD LCD monitor, but compared to OSX on my iMac, Windows looks really ****** on it. This is particularly noticeable when browsing the web and looking at large masses of text; the clarity just isn't there.

"Full HD" is great for video, but the resolution of a 27" iMac is greater. Your Windows box probably has a TN display. An IPS display is much better. Consider the Dell U2711 (27" IPS with 2560x1440 resolution for $999 but frequently discounted), HP ZR2740w (same specs $714), or even Apple's 27" monitors.

 

[Chippy99]

What a stupid retort. Video game systems are not computers. The standard procedure for video game systems is that they have a long shelf-life before a new one comes out. That is not true computers. Computer companies are expected to refresh, update, and lower prices on their old products. Apple, plainly stated, has been derelict when it comes to desktop computing. Is there another computer company that does not sell an ivy-bridge desktop? I think not.

I don't care what impact my criticism of Apple will have. I'm positive it won't have any. But, the point remains; it is pathetic for a computer company to not come out with a desktop in over 500 days. Simply inexcusable.

And when you consider the TRIVIAL effort that would be required to add Ivybridge and USB3, it is even more inexcusable.

For a company the size of Apple to not even do this, just beggars belief. Consider this: Companies like Gigabyte, MSI, ASUS and even small companies like Asrock and Chaintech can design, manufacture and release *dozens* of new motherboards based on newer chipsets in a matter of weeks.

For a company of Apple's size and resources to not do so, cannot possibly be because they are too busy or resource constrained. That is just not a viable excuse.

The only possible reason can be that it's because they don't give a ****** about the desktop market. That or overriding arrogance that the customer will buy any old junk and thank them for it. Either way it stinks.

----------

Well, i recently built a very powerful pc and installed mountain lion and windows 8 on it. I find myself using os x basically for everything except gaming. I just like os x in general, the way it looks and how everything works. In windows you miss things like easy searching, dock, expose, mail,safari, viruslessness, etc.

Anyway hackintosh is one way to go if you want new HW and os x. Altho be warned, it is not always that easy. Be prepared to use time for maintenance.

Everyone to his own mate. But what on earth do you miss about Safari???

 

[Scrapula]

"Full HD" is great for video, but the resolution of a 27" iMac is greater. Your Windows box probably has a TN display. An IPS display is much better. Consider the Dell U2711 (27" IPS with 2560x1440 resolution for $999 but frequently discounted), HP ZR2740w (same specs $714), or even Apple's 27" monitors.

What about this Dell? $1999 complete.

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3770s processor (up to 3.90 GHz)

8GB3 Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz

2TB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive + 32GB Solid State

NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 2GB GDDR5

Non-Touch 27" Full High Definition (2560x1440) WLED Display with Webcam

Though the touch screen version has just been announced and will ship with Windows 8.

 

[Fishrrman]

"The only possible reason can be that it's because they don't give a ****** about the desktop market. That or overriding arrogance that the customer will buy any old junk and thank them for it. Either way it stinks."

Visited an Apple store lately?

The one near me (SW Connecticut) is in the area mall. Last time I visited, the tables were filled with iPhones, iPads, and iPods, with a table for laptops as well.

I had to search hard to find an iMac and even harder to find a Mac Mini. The few that were on display were along the walls, towards the back.

I didn't see a Mac Pro model at all, not one.

What does this tell you?

 

[talmy]

What about this Dell? $1999 complete.

3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3770s processor (up to 3.90 GHz)

8GB3 Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz

2TB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive + 32GB Solid State

NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 2GB GDDR5

Non-Touch 27" Full High Definition (2560x1440) WLED Display with Webcam

Though the touch screen version has just been announced and will ship with Windows 8.

What about it? I was replying to someone asking about monitors, not complete systems. And you didn't indicate the monitor model number to allow looking it up.

 

[damir00]

What does this tell you?

That they know what buyers want.

 

[Mike in Kansas]

"The only possible reason can be that it's because they don't give a ****** about the desktop market. That or overriding arrogance that the customer will buy any old junk and thank them for it. Either way it stinks."

Visited an Apple store lately?

The one near me (SW Connecticut) is in the area mall. Last time I visited, the tables were filled with iPhones, iPads, and iPods, with a table for laptops as well.

I had to search hard to find an iMac and even harder to find a Mac Mini. The few that were on display were along the walls, towards the back.

I didn't see a Mac Pro model at all, not one.

What does this tell you?

That your store is messed up...?

My local store that I am in at least once a month has 3/4 of the side wall dedicated to iMacs, Mac Pros, Mac Minis and TB displays. The remaining 1/4 is dedicated to peripherals, software and laptop cases. The center of the store has the MBAs, MBPs, iPads. The other side wall has 3/4 of the wall dedicated to iPhones and iPods, with the final 1/4 being iPhone and iPods cases, headphones, etc. The Genius Bar is in the back. While not in the center aisle, the iMacs were definitely NOT hard to find. As a matter of fact, most of the time there are quite a few folks on the desktop units trying them out.

 

[Scrapula]

What about it? I was replying to someone asking about monitors, not complete systems. And you didn't indicate the monitor model number to allow looking it up.

Using Dell's IPS. That monitor has been around ages. Hardly news. What is new is adding touch screen capabilities to a monitor with same resolution of Apple's plus with a matte finish. I'm too busy to look up part numbers.

 

[talmy]

Using Dell's IPS. That monitor has been around ages. Hardly news. What is new is adding touch screen capabilities to a monitor with same resolution of Apple's plus with a matte finish. I'm too busy to look up part numbers.

Then it's the U2711 I mentioned, which ls $999 (less any discount they happen to be offering at the time).

As far as touch screens are concerned. We have them at work and use them on systems in manufacturing so they can press "start" and "stop" on the testers. Beyond that they are a PITA to use. There's a big difference between using a touch screen on a tablet lying flat on the table and using a touch screen on a vertical display.

 

[motrek]

I love my iPhone, and my iPad. I just don't get why OSX is sooooooo much better than Windows.

Well, for developers and IT people it's a no-brainer, because OS X is based on FreeBSD so you can easily use all the tools you're accustomed to, assuming you're coming from ANY other operating system that isn't Windows. That's why, e.g., almost all the developers at Google use Macs.

For average users there are other advantages. One being maintenance/manageability. With Windows, everything has an installer that fills up your system with startup items, background processes, services, libraries, explorer extensions, browser toolbars, etc., and your computer quickly turns into a mess. You can avoid this with careful maintenance and an aversion to installing software unless it's absolutely necessary, but it's easier to just use a Mac, where you can "install" and run almost anything and be reasonably confident it won't poop files all over your hard drive. Managing drivers on a Mac is almost a complete non-issue too. Plug in almost anything to a Mac and it will just work, almost immediately, with no fuss. Also, it's common to have stuff running in the background in Windows with very little indication, and it's often things you don't want, like updaters and stuff. With the Mac, almost everything you run shows up in the dock and when you close it, it stops running. There's very little going on with your computer that you don't know about and can't easily manage.

I could write a bunch more but that seems like a big enough advantage of OS X for now...

 

[Puckman1]

Well, for developers and IT people it's a no-brainer, because OS X is based on FreeBSD so you can easily use all the tools you're accustomed to, assuming you're coming from ANY other operating system that isn't Windows. That's why, e.g., almost all the developers at Google use Macs.

For average users there are other advantages. One being maintenance/manageability. With Windows, everything has an installer that fills up your system with startup items, background processes, services, libraries, explorer extensions, browser toolbars, etc., and your computer quickly turns into a mess. You can avoid this with careful maintenance and an aversion to installing software unless it's absolutely necessary, but it's easier to just use a Mac, where you can "install" and run almost anything and be reasonably confident it won't poop files all over your hard drive. Managing drivers on a Mac is almost a complete non-issue too. Plug in almost anything to a Mac and it will just work, almost immediately, with no fuss. Also, it's common to have stuff running in the background in Windows with very little indication, and it's often things you don't want, like updaters and stuff. With the Mac, almost everything you run shows up in the dock and when you close it, it stops running. There's very little going on with your computer that you don't know about and can't easily manage.

I could write a bunch more but that seems like a big enough advantage of OS X for now...

Not to poop on this parade, but this isn't exactly true.
Mac Software also can poop files all over your HD in places you don't know about at first glance (The various Libraries folders, and Application Support, etc.)
Update services and the such do run in the background on the Mac. So you are not really aware of them unless you run 'top' or view currently running processes using the System Monitor utility, no real different from Windows Task Manager.

The 2 OSes are very similar in a lot of respect. They are built on different bases (FreeBSD and Windows) and have chosen to offer a different user experience (although there are a lot of similarities). But in the end, they both do a lot of the same things in terms of how applications are installed, what services run in the background, and so on.

 

[TheMTtakeover]

Before anyone complains about this being here, I have been an iMac user for a long time now. The majority of my posts here on MR have been in the iMac section as well.

Yesterday I went ahead and ordered all the parts to build my own Windows desktop. I know, I should have at least waited until next month before I did, but I need something now and I was not going to be buying any of the current Macs. But while I have been checking this and other forums daily for bits of news on a *possible* refresh, it hit me. Why the hell am I revolving my life around a computer company? Especially one that doesn't seem to care enough about a loyal customers needs.

I am disappointed in the new iPhone, I am greatly disappointed in the new iOS update... and I could not be more disappointed in Apple's lack of respect for their non-mobile customers. Customers that have been using Macs for over 10 years. I also did not like Lion and think Mountain Lion is the worst version of OS X there is.

Combine all that with the fact that I just built a $1500 computer that will absolutely run circles in any configuration of a current iMac (and I am betting anything they are *possibly* about to release for that matter), and here we are.

I am not giving up on Apple completely. I will trial run this computer for a good half a year. If I really find it isn't for me, I can always sell the parts and return to the Mac fold... but for now, I just want to try something different.

Anyway, just my story of how Apple lost a potential iMac customer. I wholly expect the "cool story, bro"'s and the "good riddance" posts. But I just wanted to get it off my chest.

I hear ya man. I just sold my iPhone for a Galaxy Nexus.

 

[3bs]

I hear ya man. I just sold my iPhone for a Galaxy Nexus.

The Galaxy Nexus is a great phone but I would have waited for the upcoming Nexus phone(s). Unless your budget wouldn't have allowed for it.

 

[slffl]

Here's my story.

Been using OSX and Windows side-by-side, 8 hrs a day, since 2003. OSX is BY FAR the superior OS! ( I dont have time to get into detail, too busy fixing these windows machines)

EDIT: 30 min after writing this, ran into yet another reason OSX is superior. I'm using Windows Snipping Tool to take screengrabs and save them. It defaults 'Capture' as the file name. Now in OSX I could just save these and it would automatically append numbers to the files. In Windows7, I have to MANUALLY change the filename to something different EVERYTIME!

Just another example why OSX allows me to be so much more productive. I run into things like this all the time and 99% of the time it favors OSX.

 

[HurryKayne]

Here's my story.

Been using OSX and Windows side-by-side, 8 hrs a day, since 2003. OSX is BY FAR the superior OS! ( I dont have time to get into detail, too busy fixing these windows machines)

Yes..but.what if Apple doesn't update desktops anymore?Windows and Lynux are your only choice to have a 2012 DESKTOP ( don't tell me MbookPro..)with Ivy Bridge.Its all due to the GREATTTTT..strategy of Forstall Co(ok)usine.

 

[motrek]

Not to poop on this parade, but this isn't exactly true.
Mac Software also can poop files all over your HD in places you don't know about at first glance (The various Libraries folders, and Application Support, etc.)
Update services and the such do run in the background on the Mac. So you are not really aware of them unless you run 'top' or view currently running processes using the System Monitor utility, no real different from Windows Task Manager.

The 2 OSes are very similar in a lot of respect. They are built on different bases (FreeBSD and Windows) and have chosen to offer a different user experience (although there are a lot of similarities). But in the end, they both do a lot of the same things in terms of how applications are installed, what services run in the background, and so on.

You're right, there's nothing that technically prevents (non-App Store) Mac software from installing stuff that runs at startup/in the background/etc. and writing files all over your hard drive, but for whatever reason OS X app developers don't usually do that. (Of course they write files to Application Support because that's where they're *supposed* to write non-user files.) And definitely the Mac has a bunch of background processes running at all times, but almost all of them (in my case) are OS processes, and not unnecessary junk installed by 3rd party software to run hidden.

I am asked often by Windows users to clean up their computers and I usually find 10-20 programs running at startup and/or in the background that are unnecessary. It's just common for Windows software to install startup items, system tray icons, etc. that are almost always unnecessary and undesired.

----------

Yes..but.what if Apple doesn't update desktops anymore?Windows and Lynux are your only choice to have a 2012 DESKTOP ( don't tell me MbookPro..)with Ivy Bridge.Its all due to the GREATTTTT..strategy of Forstall Co(ok)usine.

The iMac doesn't get updated for a year and people think the sky is falling. Either they didn't think Ivy Bridge was worth it (it's maybe 10% faster at best) or they intended to release a redesigned iMac but are having technical problems with that and it's delayed.

Or do you think they fired their iMac team? For absolutely no reason other than the CEO... what? Having a personal distaste for desktop computers?

----------

... But while I have been checking this and other forums daily for bits of news on a *possible* refresh, it hit me. Why the hell am I revolving my life around a computer company? Especially one that doesn't seem to care enough about a loyal customers needs. ...

I understand your point and empathize with the rest of your post but your "loyal customer needs" is a bit much, isn't it? Do you really ***need*** USB3?

 

[HurryKayne]

----------

[/color]

the imac doesn't get updated for a year and people think the sky is falling.



either they didn't think ivy bridge was worth it (it's maybe 10% faster at best) or they intended to release a redesigned imac but are having technical problems with that and it's delayed.




Or do you think they fired their imac team? For absolutely no reason other than the ceo... What? Having a personal distaste for desktop computers?



----------



i understand your point and empathize with the rest of your post but your "loyal customer needs" is a bit much, isn't it? Do you really ***need*** usb3?

1.The Sky
Sky is not falling,are my chances to buy a 2012 desktop machine from apple,go and buy the 2011,for you its the same .

2.The Ivy Bridge gain story

Err...you forget the gpu man

3.The Imac Team

The fact is i don't know where ***********g is the whole team,i think very very far,this will also explain this long stupid delay.

4.USB 3

I need it!! ( and it comes with ?.ehm..guess what..IVY BRIDGE )

 

[JohnDory]

I understand your point and empathize with the rest of your post but your "loyal customer needs" is a bit much, isn't it? Do you really ***need*** USB3?

As an absolute minimum, yes - I need USB3 before I would consider buying a desktop computer in October 2012.

 

[ihuman:D]

you're right, there's nothing that technically prevents (non-app store) mac software from installing stuff that runs at startup/in the background/etc. And writing files all over your hard drive, but for whatever reason os x app developers don't usually do that. (of course they write files to application support because that's where they're *supposed* to write non-user files.) and definitely the mac has a bunch of background processes running at all times, but almost all of them (in my case) are os processes, and not unnecessary junk installed by 3rd party software to run hidden.

I am asked often by windows users to clean up their computers and i usually find 10-20 programs running at startup and/or in the background that are unnecessary. It's just common for windows software to install startup items, system tray icons, etc. That are almost always unnecessary and undesired.

----------



the imac doesn't get updated for a year and people think the sky is falling. Either they didn't think ivy bridge was worth it (it's maybe 10% faster at best) or they intended to release a redesigned imac but are having technical problems with that and it's delayed.

Or do you think they fired their imac team? For absolutely no reason other than the ceo... What? Having a personal distaste for desktop computers?

----------



i understand your point and empathize with the rest of your post but your "loyal customer needs" is a bit much, isn't it? Do you really ***need*** usb3?

gpu!!!

 

[comatory]

The iMac doesn't get updated for a year and people think the sky is falling. Either they didn't think Ivy Bridge was worth it (it's maybe 10% faster at best) or they intended to release a redesigned iMac but are having technical problems with that and it's delayed.

Or do you think they fired their iMac team? For absolutely no reason other than the CEO... what? Having a personal distaste for desktop computers?

----------



I understand your point and empathize with the rest of your post but your "loyal customer needs" is a bit much, isn't it? Do you really ***need*** USB3?

Oh c'mon. It's getting so obvious with the lack of update that something is up. Now imagine it's 2003/04 - USB 1.1 is still around and lots of people didn't had the "need" for faster interface. They were transferring data on optical discs of course!
I believe back then someone said to someone there's no worry in buying current hardware, that everyone's needs for data transfer are fulfilled with optical drives. Sure you had that Firewire 400 which was pretty fast, only the drives cost a fortune (kinda like Thunderbolt now).

...

18 months later you wouldn't even thought about buying a machine without USB 2.

I bet there are so many other examples. Sure Sandy to Ivy B isn't a big jump in some areas, but in others it's big. Even HD3000 vs HD4000 is kind of a big deal on mobile devices. Why is it not possible to use airplay mirroring on not-so-old computers? Because there's a decompression built in to the chip in the new ones. Who knows what crucial features you could be missing out if you buy the old stuff.
Wireless displaying could be a big deal for a lot of people, especially families who share an iMac that serves as their media hub (know couple of families like that).


But the bottom line is also a value, it's being repeated over and over, yet people keep posting about how the 2011 iMac is great. It is great! But not a great value. Remember, not everyone has access to refurb stores.