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New iMacs in Early 2004?

PowerMac Tablet

To me, the simplest solution would be a version of the 12-inch PowerBook that sported a screen that could be turned over, and that was touch sensitve. Considering that PC tablets have about the same screen real-estate as the 12" PowerBook and are about as thick, this would be a simple way to deliver the product. It would also breathe some additional life into the PowerBook line since G5 PowerBooks are probably about 9 months away. PowerBooks are already very light and I'm sure that Apple engineers could deliver a PowerBook tablet edition under 4.5 pounds.

I've seen people with PC tablets and they usually attach a keyboard and mouse and they sometimes will take it out of its dock. In otherwords, they rarely use the tablet part Perhaps this is one of the reasons that tablet PCs are just not taking off.

I could totally see using an application like Photoshop on a PowerBook with a Wacom-Cintinq screen integrated. Since Apple has traditionally found friends in the graphics industry, this could be another way to make graphic designers drool. (Myself included.)
 
Originally posted by Vanilla
I personally think this is a classic rumour site shenanigan…

Create an exciting rumour to help generate traffic to the website
Run with it
When it starts to get stale kill it with talk of “design issues”, “cost issues” etc.
Replace with new rumour to help generate traffic to the website
Run with it
When it starts to get stale……

All the while Apple themselves say not a word and continue on their [unknown] development schedule.

Apologies for the cynicism, I’ll get me coat
ciao
Vanilla
Click to expand...
I guess in your mind you would like G4 imac forever? Gag!:eek:
 
Pardon my ignorance and this is no way a critic, simply curiosity:

What are the advantages of a touch sensitive screen? Is a touch sensitive screen as strudy as a regular one?what about fingerprints? Are touch senstitive screens easier to clean than regular ones? Do one use his fingers or a stylus. I got an old wacom tablet at home, will the screen look as scratched and stained as my old tablet?

Thanks for educating me.
 
enough G4

Sure, maybe previous processor speeds in other models would normally suggest a small speed bump to the current imac line (ie.1.33 -1.42). However, there is no logic in this at all!!!

If apple wants to move forward and compete at a serious and cutting edge level in this industry.......they must stop choking their own products to death.

Donthurtme has posted similar opinions for months......and he is simply right!!

Who cares if the powerbook doesn't have a G5? Only selfish individuals who want to feel "professional" and above the "consumer" scream about the imac getting a G5 first.
In reality........the current powerbook has no real "professional" status over the imac.....performance is basically on par. It is "professional" when compared to the ibook (just) and that is appropriate.

I simply don't understand why a notebook computer should cripple a desktop line!! It is a simple computing fact that desktops are faster......lets not forget that.

If a G5 powerbook is not currently feesable......tough titties. Let's bring on what the technology apple has CAN currently do for the product line!.

That is..........G5 90mn imac at 2.0Mhz or higher, a real graphics chip and USB2.

Leave the duals for powermacs for those that really need the power.

Give the "consumer" a real computer option.

The family and casual computer user has the emac.

We need a middle ground.

End rant;)
 
this is the Apple game because they dont compete with other computer companies they compete with themself. for example i cant tell you how many times i wrestled with Imac or Powermac? all i wanted was a fast cpu and great videocard but for the consumer apple wont have that. they give imac a slow cpu and lousy videochip and a monitor you cant keep! so then it means powermac yet i dont need half of what this machine can do and its cost are even higher. so what does consumer do? well they are walking through walmart and theres a brand new PC at half the price of imac? what do you think ends up under the xmas tree? Apple needs to stop competing with Apple and simply give the consumer what he wants.
 
Originally posted by Dont Hurt Me
i found the article interesting but notice the comment sales are lackluster because of the price. i disagree sales are lackluster because it has the never advancing G4 and then you cant keep the monitor! Seems like know one ever wants to mention the slow G4 in recent articles. they dont even compare G4 to to the new AMDs or Intel why? because G4 had fallen so so far back. its pathetic.
Click to expand...

You're right, DHM. The G4 may be acceptable - for now - in a notebook, but a G4 in a desktop has all the appeal of a Pentium III. The Washington Apple Pi journal just printed a review of the single 1.8GHz G5 PM, and it blew the doors off the dual 1.25GHz G4 they had.
 
Spot on!!

So true Dont Hurt me. I feel the answer to this is 3 desktop lines....

emac - basic computer user or family
imac - digital hub user
powermac - cutting edge professionals

Currently we have the emac and imac line too close together. With the only real difference being crt vs. lcd.

The powermac is doing its job well. Keeping at the cutting edge for the truly power hunger user.(well, after pending processor updates anyway).

iMac needs a single G5 to satisfy the average regular computer user for basic video, photo, music and dare I say it.......games.

eMac is also basically where it should be considering the current iMac offering. However, once the iMac moves into true digital hub capabilites......the emac can take over much of the iMacs current specs.ie. faster G4, 64MB video etc.
 
Apple tablet

Well. The problem with PC tablets is that they are stripped-down products with beefed up price (price comes from unnecesary features and M$-s overpriced software).

What Apple basically can do is to make an:
1. Special edition MacOS
2. Take Moto's G3 for embedded markets
3. Take iBook's motherboard and clean it
4. Add same 10 Gb HDD which is in iPod
5. Add 10 inch touch-screen
6. Add stylish bluetooth mouse and keyboard

Mix
Stir

Sell it for $1000 or less. together woth iPod it makes pretty nice thing.
 
dragonslive Shame Shame Shame, you have used the nastiest word in the Mac vocabulary---- Games? do you know what you have done? your not supposed to do that on a Mac! if you want to game get a PC or Console! I get so sick of this crap. you spend 2 thousand dollars on a new machine and cant play doom3? what the ! Consumers are gamers but Apples consumer line up forgets this. now we will start hearing all the excuses for Apples slow G4 and reasons why you are not supposed to use a mac with games.:rolleyes:
 
On a G5 iMac

The more I think about this the more convinced I become that apple can't be as stupid as it has seemed for the past 6 months with the iMac line.

A major reason for this is due to the recent ibook changes.

It was painfully obvious to me for some time that apple were letting the powerbook hold back the majority of their product lines due to the stagnated G4 and build quality issues.

Apple to their eventual wisdom woke up andto the fact that the majority of their products lines were well........just outdated and outperformed when measured against the pc world. This gave birth to the ibook G4.

However, this only muddies the waters in the entire product line.........G4 1.0Ghz BOTTOM of the line LAPTOP???????

This is just crazy when looking at the DESKTOP line. eMac/iMac .....800mhz to 1.24Ghz G4?? Please, god save apple from imploding:p

Sooooo, apple MUST be planning a G5 imac or similar "consumer" desktop solution......lest it be overtaken by the "consumer" laptop.

Wouldn't that be laughable?
 
Originally posted by Sun Baked
I thought the metal boxes hidden behind the fancy plastic always looked more like galvanized sheet metal than a fancy alloy to me.

Of course that spiffy chunk of stainless steel poking out the iMacs case means ...
Click to expand...

I think you answered your own question. Galvanized==Zinc "coating" (it's more complex than a "coating", but simpler to explain that way.) However, you can't galvanize stainless steel. It could be galvanized steel and stainless steel.
 
Re: Apple tablet

Originally posted by ipiloot
Well. The problem with PC tablets is that they are stripped-down products with beefed up price (price comes from unnecesary features and M$-s overpriced software).

What Apple basically can do is to make an:
1. Special edition MacOS
2. Take Moto's G3 for embedded markets
3. Take iBook's motherboard and clean it
4. Add same 10 Gb HDD which is in iPod
5. Add 10 inch touch-screen
6. Add stylish bluetooth mouse and keyboard

Mix
Stir

Sell it for $1000 or less. together woth iPod it makes pretty nice thing.
Click to expand...

some would argue that given the turnover from year to year of apple OS, m$ isnt the one overpricing their software

1. wouldn't you rather see them put out software without bugs?
after seeding so many versions of panther, it still had major bugs.
apple should concentrate on making sure its products are top-quality

2. why buy from moto? ibm has its own version of the 750 gx (g3) platform. i think it recently hit 1.2Ghz (edit, 1.1 Ghz by IBM's numbers)

ibm embedded chip products


4. afaik, the harddrive in the ipod isnt designed for active use, rather, it feeds info to the flash buffer which plays it.

5. 10"? like powerbook 190cs? i think 10" is too small.

6. (edit, misread you post)
 
Model Lines

It's interesting...as I read through the comments and consider Apple's marketing strategy, it occurs to me that, as a recent switcher, I have some notion of why I had as difficult a time as I did switching. (Consider it a testimony to the utter sweetness of Apple's product that I did switch)

The problem as I see it is the lack of variability. Want an iMac with a 1.25 Ghz proc but only need 15" of screen? Too bad. Want an iMac configured like the 20" model but with a 15" screen to reduce cost (you want the bigger HD, more RAM, better video card)? Can't do it. Granted, this is part of offering an all in one. But as has been pointed out, the only headless model available is the PowerMac. Which has it's own problems.

Want a dual 1.6? Nope. How about a single proc 1.6 with the faster bus? Not available. Dual 1.8 with the fastest bus? Also not offered.

Essentially, rather than offering a smooth curve allowing the user to gradually increase performance and cost simultaneously, Apple customers are required to jump in discrete performance/cost hops. If I want the next better "thing", I have to pay for several other next better "things" in order to get the one I want. This increases my cost.

As a result, the customer looks over the offerings and sometimes (often?) walks away thinking "I just didn't see what I wanted", even though Apple clearly has the technology to offer just that.

Apple needs to do (in my view anyway) a few things here. First, they need to either divorce the LCD screen from the iMac so that I can use any of several sizes for any given iMac model OR they should allow any size screen to come preconfigured with any processor. I would prefer the LCD be separated (I'm sure they could engineer this) since the cost of the LCD is beginning to play heavily into the final total for the unit. Second, they need to offer a headless low end model. If they can separate the LCD from the iMac, this might do it. However, if they still keep the armature design and simply let you pick the size you want, they need to offer a separate model, too. Third, they should, frankly, remove the distinction between the various levels of PowerMac. Currently, the only difference between the various PowerMacs is the proc/bus configuration. If there is a valid technical reason why a 1.6 G5 can only run at an 800 Mhz bus speed, then let us know. If there is a valid technical reason I can't run a dual 1.6, let us know that too.

Personally, the G5 PowerMac differences are sort of a nit of mine. The price structure might stand some tweaking, but that's a nit, too.

Anyway, you've heard a lot from me. I'll go be quiet for awhile now.
 
Re: 2-in-1

Originally posted by eric67

...the screen just need to contain the battery, and to be connected via Airport to the dock station; there is nothing unrealistic here.
the only question is more : is Apple going to do it seeing how bad is the Tablet Pc market!!!????
less than 25% of the expected sale volume!!!!!
Click to expand...

True, but my limited experience w/ Tablet PC's shows that they are already 2-in-1 devices: a touch screen and a laptop, right?. If Apple could separate the 'wireless touch screen' from the 'laptop' maybe they could have something revolutionary.

I would love to have a wireless touch screen w/ battery and even fixed memory and no HD. Just minimal CPU enough to 'remote' into my desktop machine so I could do little more that browse sites and answer email w/ a virtual-popup keyboard (ala PocketPC)

I'd be estatic! But that's just me...
 
Is it just me, or does everyone else get really tired of the horrible spelling and use of grammar on these damn message boards???? LEARN TO SPELL AND USE PROPER GRAMMAR PEOPLE!!!!!
 
Originally posted by spencecb
Is it just me, or does everyone else get really tired of the horrible spelling and use of grammar on these damn message boards???? LEARN TO SPELL AND USE PROPER GRAMMAR PEOPLE!!!!!
Click to expand...

Please keep in mind that Apple has an international fan appeal. Many of the macrumors members are from outside the U.S. and english is not our native language. I'm always trying my best when writing in english but sometimes the results might not be up to par. ;)
 
In response to Lynnpye

Clearly, you do not know the Apple lineup....you can modify any of the iMacs to change their hardrive size....and to begin with, they all come with 80 GB....so there is no difference to begin with!!! True, you can not change the speed of the processor which is something they should offer. Also, the PowerMac G5 can not run on a bus that is faster than 1/2 the speed of the processor....For example, a 1.6 cannot run on the 1 Ghz system bus....hope you followed my post!!!
 
new iMac

I am in complete agrreement about Apple offering a headless iMac, especially with a G5. I think that this is the ideal product with which to gain market share. And they would make money as well.
 
Originally posted by srobert
Please keep in mind that Apple has an international fan appeal. Many of the macrumors members are from outside the U.S. and english is not our native language. I'm always trying my best when writing in english but sometimes the results might not be up to par. ;)
Click to expand...
no it's because we're lazy, not becuae we're foreigners...
 
Re: Model Lines

Originally posted by lynnpye
...The problem as I see it is the lack of variability. Want an iMac with a 1.25 Ghz proc but only need 15" of screen? Too bad. Want an iMac configured like the 20" model but with a 15" screen to reduce cost (you want the bigger HD, more RAM, better video card)? Can't do it. Granted, this is part of offering an all in one. But as has been pointed out, the only headless model available is the PowerMac. Which has it's own problems...
Click to expand...

though i understand the argument, that's not apple's basic philosophy. they don't want people to build their own machines and there's a reason why apple is considered the easiest computer/software system to use. it's hard enough to to get all the bugs ironed out of software and hardware of a few models across the line. can you imagine the problems that apple could have, if people started customizing all aspects of the hardware down the the bus speed? this is exactly why we all buy macs in the first place. we don't have to worry about this stuff, because all we have to do is plug and play.
 
Quality of Apple products at stake!

If Apple's changing their chassis, it needs to make it good.

One of the best aspects of all Apple products is their engineering and craftsmanship. This is part of the reason more educated and sophisticated people buy Macs. This is also a great purchase point for consumers walking into a CompUSA.

Pick up an iPod. Shake it (go ahead...). Press the Buttons. Do you hear any plastic squeaking. Do you feel any loose parts. No! Apple needs to stay with quality solid construction. If they do use plastic (as they do with iBooks), they use it to enhance a solid chassis.

I sure hope Apple doesn't do something stupid to a great product line - the product line that singlehandedly saved the company in 1997.
 
Originally posted by srobert
Please keep in mind that Apple has an international fan appeal. Many of the macrumors members are from outside the U.S. and english is not our native language. I'm always trying my best when writing in english but sometimes the results might not be up to par. ;)
Click to expand...

He's got a point there. ;)
 
The scene in January

Steve walks onto the stage.. music playing in background.. talk about ipod and how many itunes have been downloaded.

Nice ripple from the audience.

He's been using a 12" Powerbook for a while he says, as he sits in front of it at a desk. Phil is sitting over on the other side of the stage on a sofa, he's just had a big meal and is tired out. He's using his blue tooth phone to text a friend (using his address book on the phone previously synced with iSync.

Jobs shouts over to Phil, "hey phil have you seen this?' as he looks at his Powerbook screen.

Then he looks at the audience and says 'wouldn't it be great if I could just [as he grabs the screen of the Powerbook] pick this up and walk over to Phil?". Steve walks across the stage carrying the screen from the Powerbook (leaving the lower end behinand sticks it under Phils nose "hey wow! Nemo 2, thats great" says Phil.

The crowd roars, goes mad etc etc. (then they think for a bit...)

What a scene for January. Steve would love it.

Steve then turns to the audience 'But there's one more thing... (silence everwhere). Surely I can just carry my 12" Powerbook over to Phil, it's wireless, light and has a handy keyboard and trackpad' says steve.

"We thought about this and we decided that a Powerbook is a Power BOOK - we think people want to carry the whole thing around. They don't want fiddley hinges that could break after a little while." Steve paces about a bit thinking.

"So, what did we do? Well we thought (steve walks over to an iMac) let' not lose our heads over this but let's create a headless iMac. But, you can have either, a standard screen that can be pulled off and fitted to a newer iMac when you upgrade,,,, Or you can have the 'wireless' screen and just walk about with it. You can sit in bed and browse the net. It charges while on the base."

Steve walks over to Phil and sits next him, stickes the screen under his nose. "Wow you've busted the iMac?" asks Phil. "No" says Steve 'we've just revolutionised the digital hub Phil".
 
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