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New All-in-One Mac for Education?
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Would love to see it.Atlasland said:
Apple tends to give full featured computers.
For example, the current 17 inch iMac specs:
- 512MB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 1x512
- 160GB Serial ATA drive
- ATI Radeon X1600/128MB VRAM
- SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD+RW/CD-RW)
- 17-inch widescreen LCD
- 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo
- AirPort Extreme
- Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
This at $1,299 retail or $1,199 educational discount.
Why not have a low end iMac offering. Something like this:
- 512MB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 1x512
- 40GB Serial ATA drive
- Onboard Intel Graphics
- Combo drive
- 15-inch widescreen LCD
- Somthing less than a 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo. Maybe a Core Solo or slower Core Duo.
- AirPort Extreme
- Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
Would be fantastic for office type environments which traditionally run MSFT Office and for classrooms that need basic functionality.
Price around $700-800.
Having an all in one design for the traditional office would be great. Don't need a large HD. 40GB is more than plenty. Intel Graphics is more than sufficient for Microsoft Office, email, browsing and such. Having an all in one design saves set up time and parts tracking.
I think for many classroom situations, this would be sufficient as well.
MacBooks For All Would Be A Great Edict
I've seen Tuscon mandate iBooks for all students. Man these MacBooks would be killer for the next generation of Mac lovers - esp because they also run Windows.
What a huge amount of power in the hands of kids.
Maybe a 1.66 Core 2 Duo MacBook for schools @ $899 would work?
I've seen Tuscon mandate iBooks for all students. Man these MacBooks would be killer for the next generation of Mac lovers - esp because they also run Windows.
What a huge amount of power in the hands of kids.Maybe a 1.66 Core 2 Duo MacBook for schools @ $899 would work?
Doctor Q said:
I am doing the same. This fall I begin planning a lease of about 1 million bucks for the school year one year after that, alternating every two years for both high school campuses with a 4-year life expectancy.
While the eMac was low priced and has served us VERY well in some of the "we don't need a top model" applications, by the time I actually order, the dust would have settled and I can look forward to a mature edu product line.
At last the stars are aligning, and I couldn't be happier.
As for the price... they HAVE to keep it in line with the eMac, and as LCD prices drop, they will. My guess is they will bottom out at about 700 bucks.
rockthecasbah said:
Because I think folks will know that, and it wouldn't look good for a company known for it's killer design team to retro anything.
If Dell did that we'd be trashing them big-time... wouldn't we?
That being said, it WOULD be cheaper!
i cant imagine this working very well at all to be honest b/c the mac mini fits the needs of a school perfectly. if anything i would just lower the price of the mini to a base price of $499. there isnt much chance that apple would be nice enough to price the emac less than the mini considering the companies history of pricey goods.
my other thought is that if apple only lets the new emac be sold to schools, then would they be offered at a cheap bulk price? not really sure
my other thought is that if apple only lets the new emac be sold to schools, then would they be offered at a cheap bulk price? not really sure
Valid point.Doctor Q said:
One reason why the iMac form factor is so nice compared to the typical PC setup. Fewer wires & parts (speakers, mic, camera).
Generally, I think that keyboards and mice are fairly safe from theft. However, I am sure it depends on the school system/grade.
1.66GHz Core 2 Duo Foundation Looks Like A Sweet Powerful 64-bit Leopard Ready eMac
Don't even need dedicated graphics for Final Cut Studio. Today's integrated graphics are more powerful than yesterday's dedicated and support both Quartz Extreme and Core Image. Unnecessary expense. Bluetooth for school? Perhaps if it doesn't cost Apple more but I can't imagine why.sushi said:
Core Solo? God I hope not. Price of 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo Merom is pretty much the bottom of the processors by September. That would make for a great new 64-bit Leopard ready eMac's foundation.sushi said:
It'll just be nice to have an all-in-one sub-$1000 Mac back on the market. I know it doesn't appeal to a lot of the Mac Rumors crowd, but a compatible price tag can really help attract users that don't need a full featured computer.
Sorry to say this guys, but some of you are such lame mac geeks that you've never built a computer yourself and have no concept of component costs, etc...
As much as I like Macs and Mac OS, the one thing you miss out on (for better or worse) is the first-hand knowledge of hardware you get when you build a performance PC.
The new eMac will likely be around $899, possibly $999.
There is no reason not to offer wides screen - and 15.4" widescreen really isn't big enough for a desktop. Moreover, the marginal cost of a 17" screen is virtually zilch. Combine this with the fact that Apple alreadh has engineered a 17" body for the iMac, and its obvious that the eMac will be a 17" widescreen likely with 1440 x 900 resolution.
It likely will still have iSight, but not bluetooth or wireless. Most school networks are still hard-wired. ISight, however, is virtually free and already engineered into the frames of the iMacs.
It likely will not have a core solo, but rather leftover core-duos, probably T2300 1.66 GHZ Yonahs. THey cost marginally more than core-solos and are great for multitasking - soemthing school computers get used for all the time.
Finally, the harddrive is a 3.5" drive. THis is where most people on here don't seem to know anything about hardware costs. The reasons laptop harddrives go in increments of 60/80/100/120 GB is because they are 2.5" drives and far more expensive for larger capacities.
3.5" drives, however, now start at 80GB. The next step is 120GB, which is virtually the same price as 160GB.
It is assanine to think that the eMac will have a 40GB harddrive - again - it's a 3.5" drive. Most companies stopped making 3.5" drives that small years ago.
So here are my predicted specs:
-iSight
-No wireless, no bluetooth
-17" 1440x900
-1.66 GHZ Core Duo Yonah
-512 MB ram (2 x 256 due to the neceissity of running dual-channel for integrated graphics)
-Intel integrated 950 GMA
-80GB Harddrive
-Combo Drive (No need for superdrive)
-Special hard plastic casing around computer
-$899 available only to schools and through the education store.
As much as I like Macs and Mac OS, the one thing you miss out on (for better or worse) is the first-hand knowledge of hardware you get when you build a performance PC.
The new eMac will likely be around $899, possibly $999.
There is no reason not to offer wides screen - and 15.4" widescreen really isn't big enough for a desktop. Moreover, the marginal cost of a 17" screen is virtually zilch. Combine this with the fact that Apple alreadh has engineered a 17" body for the iMac, and its obvious that the eMac will be a 17" widescreen likely with 1440 x 900 resolution.
It likely will still have iSight, but not bluetooth or wireless. Most school networks are still hard-wired. ISight, however, is virtually free and already engineered into the frames of the iMacs.
It likely will not have a core solo, but rather leftover core-duos, probably T2300 1.66 GHZ Yonahs. THey cost marginally more than core-solos and are great for multitasking - soemthing school computers get used for all the time.
Finally, the harddrive is a 3.5" drive. THis is where most people on here don't seem to know anything about hardware costs. The reasons laptop harddrives go in increments of 60/80/100/120 GB is because they are 2.5" drives and far more expensive for larger capacities.
3.5" drives, however, now start at 80GB. The next step is 120GB, which is virtually the same price as 160GB.
It is assanine to think that the eMac will have a 40GB harddrive - again - it's a 3.5" drive. Most companies stopped making 3.5" drives that small years ago.
So here are my predicted specs:
-iSight
-No wireless, no bluetooth
-17" 1440x900
-1.66 GHZ Core Duo Yonah
-512 MB ram (2 x 256 due to the neceissity of running dual-channel for integrated graphics)
-Intel integrated 950 GMA
-80GB Harddrive
-Combo Drive (No need for superdrive)
-Special hard plastic casing around computer
-$899 available only to schools and through the education store.
p0intblank said:I would love to see a new version of the eMac. The more Macs, the better!
Maybe along with these new eMacs then we'll see a Conroe mini tower to complement the new Mac Pros at WWDC in August.
I Thought 1.66GHz Meroms Will Be Priced Same As 1.66GHz Yonahs By September
Makes sense. But I Thought 1.66GHz Meroms Will Be Priced Same As 1.66GHz Yonahs By September. No? In the quantity Apple will need to make them why wouldn't they be all Merom from the start - especially with Leopard coming soon?IamtheGTIguy said:
~Shard~ and Alden Shaw back on the mini tower watch 'til August
~Shard~ and Alden Shaw back on the mini tower watch 'til August. I hope you guys are right. But I'm mainly interested in the Woodcrest Quad.~Shard~ said:Maybe along with these new eMacs then we'll see a Conroe mini tower to complement the new Mac Pros at WWDC in August.
While I agree with most of what you say, the old eMac had SuperDrive, Bluetooth & Wireless options, I don't see Apple taking them out (granted they may be only on the top model, or built to order only, but all Macs for at least the past year or two have all had wireless & bluetooth as standard, it's one of those things which defines a Mac in its spec, despite costs. True most schools are still wired networks, but you'd be surprised how many schools now dabble in wireless (at least over here) and how many would like to. All notebooks that I buy for my schools are all Centrino, still cheap, but the wireless is always there. Every school I know will more than likely get a Centrino notebook (half the time as it is the only one offered to them, but the fact of wireless being there still remains...it's too common and big these days to miss out). Schools would also expect (and maybe demand) to have wireless in an Apple Mac to help justify getting one over a normal PC. Remember component cost is one thing, but still making it a "Mac" and making it be chosen over a cheap RM or Stone (UK) based PC is still needed and not that easy.IamtheGTIguy said:
Apple don't want to dilute what a "Mac" is too much for schools, there will still be the business thinking hope the teachers and pupils will then go home and want that new MacBook or iMac themselves.
Your price looks reasonable, giving the past price of the eMac and the possible LCD screen, but I hope it is hard surfaced (plastic/glass cover). Naturally I hope its lower! But as you say components are tricky and do cost money still!
Multimedia said:~Shard~ and Alden Shaw back on the mini tower watch 'til August. I hope you guys are right. But I'm mainly interested in the Woodcrest Quad.
Hey, a man can always dream....
I'm not holding my breath on it either, as I honestly think that we will probably just see Mac Pros for now, but it sure would be nice to see nonetheless. 
I beg to differ...IamtheGTIguy said:
Today, there are many 40GB Hard Drives for sale.
Prices for new 40GB are about $10-$20 cheaper than 80GB models. That is a significant savings on an OEM product.
I don't know the current standard mark up for OEM price costing, but let's say it's only 4 times. So a $10 OEM wholesale price difference would be equal to a $40 retail price difference. Of course the greater the difference in OEM price the greater the difference in retail pricing.
Now whether or not Apple decided to go with a 40GB vice 80GB is another issue. Everything must be taken into account when designing the package. In Apple's case, offering an 80GB may be a better marketing choice.
why do apple need to bother making an all-in-one they already have the imac and of they want to market it to an education market just drop the price, and maybe even make a special program to record all homework given to a student
Because of the market the iMac is already aimed at and the technology already in the iMac.elisha cuthbert said:
Granted I'd love to have the iMac technology in an eMac priced product! But (from Apple especially!) I doubt it will happen.
Despite its all-in-one design of the iMac I still see other potential for a seperate education all-in-one. Maybe it will be exactly the same as the iMac, but with just cheaper bits inside and labelled the eMac again (or EduMac?! lol!). Or Apple might be adding new thinking to the education machine, being as the eMac has gone and they might be bringing it back. "If you're gonna do it, do it properly" kinda thinking perhaps. Then again just a simple rejig of an iMacs insides are just as likely I guess.
There's a thing called profit!elisha cuthbert said:
Apple must make a profit, so if they use the current iMac, they would need to remove/change some items such as:
- Use a 15 inch vice 17 inch display
- Video card and use the Intel Graphics chip that is already on the MoBo
- Smaller Hard Drive
- Combo vice SuperDrive
- Remove the WiFi and Bluetooth
- Use a slower processor
- Remove the iSight camera
The current iMac education price is $1,199 vice the retail price of $1,299. If they did all the above, the price could be reduced considerably. I would imagine that the price could drop by $400-500 bucks resulting in a $700-800 iMac for education.
Doctor Q said:
Here is my mock-up. I think it's getting close to what you were suggesting.
It looks sort of like a MacBook, but it certainly isn't portable.
I think so too. In fact, I own one.
I added this "Ok, maybe some do."
But even then with what you mention, none of those designs were phased out for years and THEN reintroduced with the same form factor.
Apple could easily make a case design and put a piece of glass between the viewer and the LCD to make the screen more durable. If I recall, many salesmen for the eMac would drop it from 5 feet to the ground while it was still plugged in and it would continue to work. That is what Apple would need for the educational sector. It'd only be a machine for Writing papers and web browsing so power would be non issue (Multimedia classes could just get iMacs, the emac was something you'd see in elementary schools and gen purpose labs for higher education). Probably no Optical drive, no iSight or Front Row. Not that these are predictions - just things I'd do. Of course if this is for educators I'm sure Apple would just listen to what they need and build a machine to their speck.
Though I'd like the mini to drop to around $400 or $500. Then an eMac could come out at around $600 and only be available in the educational store.
Though I'd like the mini to drop to around $400 or $500. Then an eMac could come out at around $600 and only be available in the educational store.