New iMac, FrontRow and PhotoBooth Apps

[~Shard~]

Total uninteresting upgrade with a serious downgrade for memory (only one slot). I don't want a media PC i need one for my work.

Yes, very pathetic upgrade - faster processors, faster RAM, new video card, built-in iSight, larger hard drives, Mighty Mouse included, Front Row... man, nothing there at all.

Oh, and you are wrong, there isn't only one slot, there are two. The iMac can support up to 2.5 GB of RAM now.

 

[Naimfan]

Did Apple really remove one of the RAM slots from the new iMac?

Bob

 

[law guy]

no more pro mouse wired offered

As the iMac comes with the mighty mouse, I looked on the apple site and found that they are no longer offering the wired apple pro mouse - just the mighty - are they shipping with any macs at all now? has the wired pro quitely gone away?

 

[nomad01]

I'm impressed with the upgrade. FrontRow looks very sleek and I really hope it's available to use with other Macs. Makes me wonder if there's not something else in the works to cover the media centre market... like a Mac mini design but bigger with improved specs, bigger HD. Would be nice.

Here's hoping that we see some improvements in new PBs soon.

Like the new iPod. BBC News 24 had a little segment live from the London event and the reporter was holding one of them up to the camera. It's on order! Can't believe the 60 GB model is thinner than the old 30GB. Excellent. Anyone know what the included case is like? Think I may have to get the remote too.

 

[~Shard~]

Sweet. A $4000 Power Mac has Bluetooth as and Airport as an option.

Anyone got any lube?

I hear ya iGary, but have a little patience - if the iMac upgrades were this good just imagine how good the PowerMac and PowerBook upgrades will be! And hopefully we won't have to imagine for much longer...

 

[dontmatter]

count think secret wrong on this one. Sources must've been having fun with them.

 

[jlewis2k1]

since apple appears to be bringing out white and black ipods whats gonna stop them from bring out a black imac...it probably would look sweet.

 

[~Shard~]

Did Apple really remove one of the RAM slots from the new iMac?

Bob

The new iMac has 2 RAM slots, one of which is user-accessible. The iMac supports up to 2.5 GB of RAM (built-in 512 MB + 2 GB potential add-on)

From Apple's website:

iMac G5 computers contain 533 MHz double data rate, synchronous dynamic random-access memory (DDR2-SDRAM), one of the fastest memory technologies available today. Your iMac G5 comes with 512 megabytes (MB) of memory. You can select additional memory up to 2.5 gigabytes. The new iMac G5 has one user-accessible memory slot.

 

[ksz]

Why is everyone drooling over the X600 XT/Pro? It's just the 9600 XT/Pro with PCI-Express instead of AGP. There is not even a small performance upgrade there. Just an already slow graphics card on a new connection. ... Still, very nice update for the graphics, now only a 1.5 year old graphics card instead of a 2.5 year old graphics card.

Looking through here I now agree with you. Bummer. At least they've jettisoned AGP...

 

[~Shard~]

As the iMac comes with the mighty mouse, I looked on the apple site and found that they are no longer offering the wired apple pro mouse - just the mighty - are they shipping with any macs at all now? has the wired pro quitely gone away?

Maybe they're going the way of the eMac...

 

[style]

The graphics cards were updated as well...

17": ATI Radeon X600 Pro
21": ATI Radeon X600 XT

Both with 128 MB DDR SDRAM, and both using PCI-Express.

I believe the previous models had ATI Radeon 9600 with 128 MB of DDR SDRAM via AGP 8x. Can anyone comment on how the X600s compare with the 9600s?

between 9600XT and 9800XT

 

[ejl10]

Frontrow looks very similar to ATI's EasyLook software that comes with the Remote Wonder II. It will be nice to have that kind of distance control.

One note - ATI has always had trouble with the stability of its TV tuner software... maybe the reason that Apple hasn't jumped in. EyeTV doesn't exactly get stellar reviews...

 

[montom]

iMac with iSight built in? Wow, that's awesome, I hope it comes with a backdoor app to help the feds keep watch and secure the homeland.

 

[840quadra]

It's been a year the PB got an update worthy that label.
What disturbs me is, we hear SJ tell us:
"This is the year of the PB", "This is the year of HD", ...

Look at Apple's sales, this year they sold more PBs than desktops. Imagine what that could have been if they'd take them serious.
OK, they misplanned their whole CPU strategy (betting on one IBM horse), but they have no excuse for not updating the screens (HD is there, other makes have it in their portables, Apple PBs still have screens from 2002, "remarkable" for a company with a niche in graphics), their HD, RAM, etc ...

Bottom line is, the PB line sucks. I just ordered my PC labtop, didn't want to wait any longer. & I'll run OS X hacked on it, shoud be fun
I think it was VERY stupid of Apple not upgarding their PBs today. People were pissed of already with this hughe delay for an *actual* update. (no cosmetic like last one)

Have fun with your PC laptop, and getting OS X onto it.

Unlike you I am not jumping ship, sure there are more waves at the other beaches now, but the view absolutely sucks in comparison. I am not going to buy a Craptop and try to load OS X onto it, only to see Apple come out with a gorgeous (and hopefully faster) Powerbook that makes my Craptop look like a toy.

I have a feeling that Apple is going to make it harder then everyone thinks to put OS X onto a non apple product. When you build the Hardware (including internal control chips (including ASIC)), and software for your product, you have allot of control in regards to security, and making it "difficult" to pirate. This is only if you devote resources into making your product secure and proprietary, Like Apple sounds to be doing.

And yes I am aware of the hacked "Developer Copy", but that's just it, a Developer copy.

On Topic

I am jealous of the features that this new iMac has. I have 2 "Classic" Macintosh computers that have Apples own IR remote control, I really would like to have something like that for my PM, as I like to watch DVD's.

I am also amazed at the speed of the new iMac computers. Granted it is a single processor, but it's single processor is faster then one in my G5 Dual 2.0, and they have better video then my PM also . Granted I can upgrade that portion of my PM, but still!

I am glad they brought out more then a Video iPod, and I think I am going to have to order one of those too, working nights can be slow at times, and I have lots of video I can put on this to watch during the slow times!

What a great time to be a Mac User!

 

[csimmons]

iTunes 5 -> 6 : So what?

Why did they even bother with itunes 5 when it was only out for a a few months. That seemed a little short lived.

That IMO would only be a big deal if we had to pay for iTunes. It's FREE, so who cares?!?

 

[robbietherobot]

Thank God for Rumors!

OMGGG AND I JUST BOUGHT AN IMAC!!

WHAT'S THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO GET A NEW ONE IF ANOTHER PRODUCT COMES OUT?

Was just about to buy an iMac online 2 weeks ago, but thanks to the rumor mill thought I would wait till today. On top to that was going to add an Mighty Mouse and an iSight. 1 gb ram extra is only an extra 220 euro which makes the ideal machine. The rumor mill is so dangerous but I've looked out on this one. HD editing at home here I come!!!

 

[~Shard~]

Looking through here I now agree with you. Bummer. At least they've jettisoned AGP...

Yes, that's better than nothing. However this is still an excellent video card. And really, who absolutely requires the latest and greatest video card anyway? I have an FX5200 and it does me just fine, no complaints.

Definitely not a video card to drool over, but also not a video card to be disappointed with.

 

[Bubbasteve]

Hey does anyone know if I can download Front Row for my Rev B iMac? I really think that's an awesome looking program

 

[~Shard~]

That IMO would only be a big deal if we had to pay for iTunes. It's FREE, so who cares?!?

Absolutely - beggars can't be choosers. It's free from the good folks at Apple, so let's not complain about that, shall we? A new version is a new version, no harm done!

 

[Some_Big_Spoon]

Is Apple just reduced to gimmicks these days? I use my computer to make a living, where's my help from them in doing that?

Yeah kids, flame on.

 

[Snide]

Wow. I am flabbergasted. I didn't think Apple would upgrade the iMac so 'soon,' that's why I felt safe buying the Rev. B in May... this update is so nice. Sigh. Ah well, I still have an awesome machine, just, not as awesome.

I feel your pain, brother! just checked the receipt for my 20" rev b and the date is May 21st.
Definitely wasn't expecting this much this soon:

$1699 vs $1799 ($100 less)
2.1 Ghz vs 2Ghz
FSB 700 vs 667Mhz
533Mhz DDR2 SDRAM vs 400 Mhz DDR
Built-in iSight
ATI Radeon X600 XT PCI Express vs ATI Radeon 9600 AGP
Audio Line in
Mighty Mouse
Thinner design
Front Row app with remote
Jacks now horizontal on bottom
Memory expandable to 2.5 GB (but a 2 GB stick––$$––needed for the single user slot)

However, I'm much more choked that I finally bought my first-ever iPod
after 4 years, and of course it was a 20 GB model exactly 23 days ago.
I just checked my Comp USA receipt; they give 21 days to return anything
for a full refund––I missed out by two days!!

I'm bothered by the lack of firewire in the new iPods, however...

 

[840quadra]

Hey does anyone know if I can download Front Row for my Rev B iMac? I really think that's an awesome looking program

Do you have a remote and IR receiver to use it?

I don't think it is available to download (yet).

 

[ScubaDuc]

Ditto. I would have bought such a headless box instantly.

Unfortunately an iMac doesn't currently fit in my plans for the network, so The next box I buy will most likely be the first intel mini.

Anyone else find it odd that the mini's specs are still at 1.42 GHz at the store. What is holding them back from formally announcing the (late 2005) Mac mini?

B

I walked into THE Applestore in SF close to the Moscone center 2 days ago and they didn't even want to admit there was a 1,5 Gh version with 64 Mb vram in it... I had to bring the Macrumors page up and then show them CNET confirmed it. On display, they still have the 1,42 version

 

[~Shard~]

Hey does anyone know if I can download Front Row for my Rev B iMac? I really think that's an awesome looking program

If it requires an IR interface for the remote, then you might be screwed... Not sure though, I'll be going through Apple's site with a fine tooth comb for all the juicy details later tonight.

No matter what though, I think I'm out of luck with my 1.25 GHz G4 iMac.

 

[ejl10]

Looking through here I now agree with you. Bummer. At least they've jettisoned AGP...

They're sticking with the 9600/X600 for one reason, I'd imagine: it generates very little heat. In my old HTPC, I used to run my 9600 Pro card without a heatsink or fan. That means a lot in a tight case like the iMac's.