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The only genuine cause for annoyance is no ssd plus big hdd option. It's either a 768 ssd only with no hdd OR a 128ssd fused. I am certain a 512 ssd with a 3tb hdd unfused would be a popular bto. Even moreso with the new glued on screen.
I agree that they need an unfused SSD +HD option with a choice of both SSD and HD capacities.
 
Well the new design is fine, but I would still prefer that they kept the 2011 design. That way it could house more disks, or a normal gpu over a m-gpu :)

i just got my new iMac 27, coming from a mac pro 1,1. i have ZERO complaints. except maybe the price, but even then... I'm not too pissed about that either.

i like having easily accessible ports too, but i also feel like i take more pride in my workstation now that it looks so aesthetically pleasing. keep it cleaner, feel pressure to be more organized, etc.

in fact, i plan on mounting everything underneath my desk using that nifty pegboard mod. i'll probably add a card reader because I dont even use sd cards, i use cf 90% of the time.

the ONLY gripe i could possibly have, is it doesnt seem there is an easy way to use my BT keyboard and trackpad on multiple devices. i run my mac pro on monitors to the left and right of the imac and i dont like having two sets of input devices on my desk.

There is a little nifty program that let you do what your asking.

http://www.eyalw.com/type_on_your_iphone_or_ipad_from_mac

It worked fine for me when I needed it. Used it for a MBP, iPad and iPhone :)
 
Wow, such a huge thread over the most -trivial- issue imaginable. Especially considering the purported "facts" supplied by the OP (who seems to be the only one complaining) are either fabricated or embellished.

Yeah, I'd much rather have a bulky Mac just to support a side mounted SD card reader :rolleyes:. And I'm sure most of us remember those days when we had to bend down, open a door on our desk, pull open a slot cover to reach the SD card reader on a tower PC. What was that about "form over function"?

I've heard many first world problems, but this one tops the list.
 
I love the new 27 inch design. the new imac runs so much cooler then the older design. before the old design would get so hot you could barely touch the back. now its ice cold no matter what your doing. that has to be better for longevity.

I very much prefer the cooler no pun intended design. im speaking strictly about the 27 inch. I dont like how they made it so you had to take out the logic board on the 21 just to upgrade the ram.

I prefer ports out of sight and out of mind anyway. not to mention the amount of people who stuck their sd card inside the cd rom slot when it was on the side.
 
what makes you think I have not "tried it myself"?

Because I find it so easy to insert the SD card, I thought that anyone who claimed it was in any way difficult are either all thumbs or hadn't actually tried it. I've also never had any issue with my 2010 iMac or 2012 model reading SD cards, whether it's a high speed model for my DSLR or the cheapest one I could find for my MP3 player.
 
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The new iMacs are quite pretty in my opinion. I was of the same opinion as a lot of people when I saw that Apple removed the optical drive, and I was just screaming "What we're you THINKING?!"

Eh, I have most of my old software converted to ISO images though, and an external optical drive is cheap. The only thing that bugs me is the removal of the RAM slot door in the 21 inch models. If anything, I say that there should be doors for it and at least the hard drive. I would suggest doors to replace the video card and processor, but in such a form factor, I'd be worried about putting in a latest and greatest processor due to thermal issues. Not to mention that I'm not even sure how you would replace the mobile GPU.
 
Wow, such a huge thread over the most -trivial- issue imaginable. Especially considering the purported "facts" supplied by the OP (who seems to be the only one complaining) are either fabricated or embellished.

Yeah, I'd much rather have a bulky Mac just to support a side mounted SD card reader :rolleyes:. And I'm sure most of us remember those days when we had to bend down, open a door on our desk, pull open a slot cover to reach the SD card reader on a tower PC. What was that about "form over function"?

I've heard many first world problems, but this one tops the list.

Try reading the whole thread. There are several people who chimed in to agree with the OP about the SD reader, and add other criticisms like the lack of user-upgradable RAM on the 21.5".
 
Try reading the whole thread. There are several people who chimed in to agree with the OP about the SD reader, and add other criticisms like the lack of user-upgradable RAM on the 21.5".

Try not assuming others haven't read the whole thread while obviously not having read my post.

This doesn't even rate as a non-issue. It's somewhere below trivial. The "issue" regarding lack of RAM upgrades for 21.5" was tacked on by the usual slew of whiners these types of threads attract. To all of these, all I can say is: The "annoying" shortcomings are OBVIOUS. It you can't live with them, then -by all means- feel free to NOT buy the new iMacs.

I'm sure there are plenty of Dell or HP all-in-ones to choose from. Some even have the critical front mounted SD card reader. Heck, some have touch screens. How cool is that?
 
Such whining

First, curious as to how many folks on here remember sitting at and working on a 286 PC? Apparently very few. 386? 486? Pentium? And so on. Anyone ever work on an Apple II? Classic Mac? The first PowerPC Macs?

I have, on all of them. The evolution of the personal computer has not, in my opinion, always been great or useful. Personally I hated the first front-facing ports. Sloppy. Wires all over. Running everything from the back of the computer and strapping the cables together made for a much more pleasant workspace. And right there is the key; a workspace you can spend time at and not feel crowded or disorganized. As a very long-time IT professional and professional photographer my workspace is the key factor in deciding what hardware to get. I have had all versions of the iMacs, and laptops, and I have never once found myself inconvenienced with ports on the back.

I work in IT, have for over 25 years, what am I missing that would cause people to have to constantly swap devices and cables and plugs? Good lord. On that issue, you simply suffer from poor planning and a poor purchase. I have several DVD drives, multi card readers, five external drives, two iPads and an iPhone, Wacom tablet, two printers (standard and high-end photo printer), and a film scanner. I move nothing. I unplug/replug nothing. Never have to. Everything is gently tucked away behind or off to the side. No cables staring me in the face and I am able to function with no disgruntlement about having to reach here or there.

The amount of whining I read each day is astounding. Instead of griping about a computer and what it doesn't have for you, or how it doesn't or won't work for you, plan out your purchase. Buy what you need, not what you want. The new iMacs are stunning, a proper evolution of design, and they work just fine for those who need them. My rMBP excels, but if I needed what a Lenovo or HP offered I would have bought that. Maybe those of us who purchase based on need over pure want are a dying breed.

Getting worked up over having to reach around the back of a computer... Would that everyone's life was so trouble-free as to have that magnificent insurmountable inconvenience as the sole belly ache of the day.

Buy a damn hub and suck it up. And as for the headphone problem, go to the store and get a three inch plug adapter, plug it in and let it dangle. Barely noticeable. Plug your headphones into that. No reaching. Trust me, it can be done.
 
Try not assuming others haven't read the whole thread while obviously not having read my post.

This doesn't even rate as a non-issue. It's somewhere below trivial. The "issue" regarding lack of RAM upgrades for 21.5" was tacked on by the usual slew of whiners these types of threads attract. To all of these, all I can say is: The "annoying" shortcomings are OBVIOUS. It you can't live with them, then -by all means- feel free to NOT buy the new iMacs.

I'm sure there are plenty of Dell or HP all-in-ones to choose from. Some even have the critical front mounted SD card reader. Heck, some have touch screens. How cool is that?

I read your whole post. That's why I commented on it. You stated that the OP was the only one that seemed to be complaining, which is clearly not the case. You would not have made that statement if you had actually read the whole thread.

Reply with real answers to the criticisms I and others have raised. So far you haven't. Statements like your last paragraph above are just noise and demonstrate you are taking the criticism about a computer personally.

And no, I don't want a Wintel machine. I'm perfectly happy with my older iMac, the one I opted to buy after seeing the intro of the new ones last October. In fact, the non user-replaceable RAM was one of the reasons I didn't buy the new one. Apple could have easily put a small access door on the back of the 21.5", just like they did on the 27". But they didn't, and for that reason among others, I bought a 2010 model, installed an SSD, and remain delighted with it and will for a couple more years. I would have to spend twice what I did to get a new iMac that is faster. I'll be going the Mini route (with the assumption that it will remain somewhat easy to take apart) in 2 or 3 years if the next iMac redesign continues down the road Apple has put it on.

----------

First, curious as to how many folks on here remember sitting at and working on a 286 PC? Apparently very few. 386? 486? Pentium? And so on. Anyone ever work on an Apple II? Classic Mac? The first PowerPC Macs?

I have, on all of them. The evolution of the personal computer has not, in my opinion, always been great or useful. Personally I hated the first front-facing ports. Sloppy. Wires all over. Running everything from the back of the computer and strapping the cables together made for a much more pleasant workspace. And right there is the key; a workspace you can spend time at and not feel crowded or disorganized. As a very long-time IT professional and professional photographer my workspace is the key factor in deciding what hardware to get. I have had all versions of the iMacs, and laptops, and I have never once found myself inconvenienced with ports on the back.

I work in IT, have for over 25 years, what am I missing that would cause people to have to constantly swap devices and cables and plugs? Good lord. On that issue, you simply suffer from poor planning and a poor purchase. I have several DVD drives, multi card readers, five external drives, two iPads and an iPhone, Wacom tablet, two printers (standard and high-end photo printer), and a film scanner. I move nothing. I unplug/replug nothing. Never have to. Everything is gently tucked away behind or off to the side. No cables staring me in the face and I am able to function with no disgruntlement about having to reach here or there.

The amount of whining I read each day is astounding. Instead of griping about a computer and what it doesn't have for you, or how it doesn't or won't work for you, plan out your purchase. Buy what you need, not what you want. The new iMacs are stunning, a proper evolution of design, and they work just fine for those who need them. My rMBP excels, but if I needed what a Lenovo or HP offered I would have bought that. Maybe those of us who purchase based on need over pure want are a dying breed.

Getting worked up over having to reach around the back of a computer... Would that everyone's life was so trouble-free as to have that magnificent insurmountable inconvenience as the sole belly ache of the day.

Buy a damn hub and suck it up. And as for the headphone problem, go to the store and get a three inch plug adapter, plug it in and let it dangle. Barely noticeable. Plug your headphones into that. No reaching. Trust me, it can be done.

And your calling the OP a whiner? Pot, meet kettle.
 
First, curious as to how many folks on here remember sitting at and working on a 286 PC? Apparently very few. 386? 486? Pentium? And so on. Anyone ever work on an Apple II? Classic Mac? The first PowerPC Macs?

I have, on all of them. The evolution of the personal computer has not, in my opinion, always been great or useful. Personally I hated the first front-facing ports. Sloppy. Wires all over. Running everything from the back of the computer and strapping the cables together made for a much more pleasant workspace. And right there is the key; a workspace you can spend time at and not feel crowded or disorganized. As a very long-time IT professional and professional photographer my workspace is the key factor in deciding what hardware to get. I have had all versions of the iMacs, and laptops, and I have never once found myself inconvenienced with ports on the back.

I work in IT, have for over 25 years, what am I missing that would cause people to have to constantly swap devices and cables and plugs? Good lord. On that issue, you simply suffer from poor planning and a poor purchase. I have several DVD drives, multi card readers, five external drives, two iPads and an iPhone, Wacom tablet, two printers (standard and high-end photo printer), and a film scanner. I move nothing. I unplug/replug nothing. Never have to. Everything is gently tucked away behind or off to the side. No cables staring me in the face and I am able to function with no disgruntlement about having to reach here or there.

The amount of whining I read each day is astounding. Instead of griping about a computer and what it doesn't have for you, or how it doesn't or won't work for you, plan out your purchase. Buy what you need, not what you want. The new iMacs are stunning, a proper evolution of design, and they work just fine for those who need them. My rMBP excels, but if I needed what a Lenovo or HP offered I would have bought that. Maybe those of us who purchase based on need over pure want are a dying breed.

Getting worked up over having to reach around the back of a computer... Would that everyone's life was so trouble-free as to have that magnificent insurmountable inconvenience as the sole belly ache of the day.

Buy a damn hub and suck it up. And as for the headphone problem, go to the store and get a three inch plug adapter, plug it in and let it dangle. Barely noticeable. Plug your headphones into that. No reaching. Trust me, it can be done.

That would be me. My first pc was a 286/16 with a monochrome monitor! Hehe. Same here around 25 years in IT.
 
I looked at a new iMac yesterday and had to chuckle.

THIN?

Yeah they made it thinner at the edges, but it is still fat in the back.

I commented about how they had to remove the optical drive to get it thin at the edges and one customer looking over my shoulder said " why would they delete the optical drive ".

The last iMac I bought was the 2011 model, the last model with the optical drive .... glad I got that one!

----------

Same here around 25 years in IT.

You young guys amaze me. My first IT job was in 1974, we used a punched paper tape device for I/O on one of our systems and that was " state of the art ". It was on a military missile system, the computer was massive and filled up an entire enclosure that fit on the back of a long bed deuce and a half.
 
I read your whole post. That's why I commented on it. You stated that the OP was the only one that seemed to be complaining, which is clearly not the case. You would not have made that statement if you had actually read the whole thread.

Reply with real answers to the criticisms I and others have raised. So far you haven't. Statements like your last paragraph above are just noise and demonstrate you are taking the criticism about a computer personally.

And no, I don't want a Wintel machine. I'm perfectly happy with my older iMac, the one I opted to buy after seeing the intro of the new ones last October. In fact, the non user-replaceable RAM was one of the reasons I didn't buy the new one. Apple could have easily put a small access door on the back of the 21.5", just like they did on the 27". But they didn't, and for that reason among others, I bought a 2010 model, installed an SSD, and remain delighted with it and will for a couple more years. I would have to spend twice what I did to get a new iMac that is faster. I'll be going the Mini route (with the assumption that it will remain somewhat easy to take apart) in 2 or 3 years if the next iMac redesign continues down the road Apple has put it on.


Once again, you are oblivious to what I -actually- said, instead resorting to "you didn't read the thread..." - a classic straw man argument.

I'm sure we're ecstatic that you opted for a years old Mac, and I'm also sure we understand the reasons behind it. Nobody is questioning the validity of your decision. But why OH WHY do you (and others) have to continue to make posts about how big bad Apple is somehow evil or incompetent with their design decisions? Were they trying to hide the specifications? Of course not! You went in with your eyes open and made your choice. Why not leave it at that?

And... once again... the upgradability issues with smaller iMac was not original issue here. It just opened up the whiner floodgates. I'll stick by my original assertion: The criticism of the SD card placement rates somewhere below trivial.
 
Wow, such a huge thread over the most -trivial- issue imaginable. Especially considering the purported "facts" supplied by the OP (who seems to be the only one complaining) are either fabricated or embellished.

This is the first statement in your first post in this thread. The statement in parentheses in the second sentence is what I took issue with above, because the OP is in fact not the only one complaining.

Not sure why all the histrionics are necessary; just asking you to answer some of the criticisms people have brought up.

----------

But why OH WHY do you (and others) have to continue to make posts about how big bad Apple is somehow evil or incompetent with their design decisions?

Big bad Apple? Evil? Neither I nor anyone else in this thread have said that, nor do I currently believe Apple is somehow "bad". They are an amoral company that makes money by building good computer gear. I happen to like most of what they make, and there are currently 6 Apple products in my household.

I just happen to have some criticism for the newest iMac, and others do too.

Please stop over-reacting to that.
 
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This is the first statement in your first post in this thread. The statement in parentheses in the second sentence is what I took issue with above, because the OP is in fact not the only one complaining.

Not sure why all the histrionics are necessary; just asking you to answer some of the criticisms people have brought up.

Fair enough. Sorry about the histrionics. It's a result of a buildup from reading several threads here, so maybe it's over-the-top in this one.
 
Loss of the optical drive is no big deal - I got my 27 inch 2012, purchased a 25.00 USB CD R/W and it sits on the base of the computer.

So far I have used it one time - to install windows 7.


Tom
 
I am very happy with my 21.5" iMac, and my only complaint would be that I can't get in there to upgrade the RAM myself. It is quiet, it runs very cool, it has a non-glossy screen.....works for me!

SD slot? Eh...no big deal for me as I have always needed to have a memory card reader which handles both CF and SD cards, so the SD slot in this machine will probably never be used. I'm used to not having a memory card slot in my computer, and always depend on an external one anyway. I bought a Lexar Pro USB 3 dual reader, plugged it into a free USB port on the new machine and voila! When it's not in use the reader sits quietly back out of the way, and when I need it, a simple reach of the hand, bringing it forward so that I can insert whichever kind of memory card I've got works just fine for me.

At first the idea of no Superdrive in the new iMac gave me pause, but the more I thought about this the more I realized that I don't use an optical drive all that much anyway. So, at the time I bought the new iMac I bought an external Superdrive to go with her and that was that. I think I've used it all of three or four times now, and a couple of those times were during the first 14 days to test to make sure that it worked as expected.

The new iMac's thin profile? Well, anyone walking into the room where it retains pride of place on my computer workstation wouldn't necessarily realize that there is something unusual about this machine, but I definitely appreciate the thinness and the lower weight when I have to move it around for any reason, and I do get rather a kick out of looking at or pinching the thin, thin sides between my fingers...... LOL!!
 
Loss of the optical drive is no big deal - I got my 27 inch 2012, purchased a 25.00 USB CD R/W and it sits on the base of the computer.

So far I have used it one time - to install windows 7.


Tom

I use my optical drive 2 to 3 times per day depending on my workload and client demands.

Nothing on my desk except the 27" iMac, Wireless Keyboard, and Trackpad.
 
If the SD reader on that back bothers you that much, easy solutions were offered very early in this topic. Get a USB card reader, which will likely add the ability to read several other card formats. Totally practical, inexpensive, but not very clean looking. Too messy for you when all you wanted was front or side access to a simple SD card reader? $15 from Amazon, and this one even has a small plastic case around the reader slot.
Patented-SD-Card-Extension-Cable.jpg
 
Try reading the whole thread. There are several people who chimed in to agree with the OP about the SD reader, and add other criticisms like the lack of user-upgradable RAM on the 21.5".

boo frakkin hoo
 
I'm just curious if anyone else is kind of annoyed with the "form over function" gaffe that is the iMac.

Big time! I was looking forward to the 2012 iMac and already had my internal upgrades picked out.

Then we saw it. Now I am waiting and hoping for the 2013 MP.
 
boo frakkin hoo

Really?

----------

Fair enough. Sorry about the histrionics. It's a result of a buildup from reading several threads here, so maybe it's over-the-top in this one.

No worries; no hard feelings.

FWIW, I wish Apple had waited to do the re-design for this summer, after getting the bugs worked out of the screen lamination process. Refreshed iMacs with Ivy Bridge and new GPUs could have been released at last summer's WWDC, along with refreshed Minis; would have taken all of 2 minutes for Schiller to do that during the keynote, and while some Apple fans would have been disappointed in not getting a redesign, I and many others would have been happy to buy in.

What's interesting is the recent news that the cMBPs may stick around for a while longer, mainly due to price and the presence of the optical drive. I totally get Apple's desire to push the acceptance of new tech and ditch the old, but you can't ignore the market you're selling to either. I wonder if a lack of optical drive is hurting iMac sales? We'll never know.
 
I agree that they need an unfused SSD +HD option with a choice of both SSD and HD capacities.

Yes, whether or not fusion is a good idea is practically a religious debate at times. It is like matte vs glossy though. Some people are vocal for one and some are vocal for another so why not offer the choice in the BTO options?


First, curious as to how many folks on here remember sitting at and working on a 286 PC? Apparently very few. 386? 486? Pentium? And so on. Anyone ever work on an Apple II? Classic Mac? The first PowerPC Macs?

All of the above. The fact that the *second* computer I spent much time with used paper tape might point to that. Add in a few Amigas, mainframes, non-PPC macs and stuff.

Anyway, yes, there have been some winner ideas and loser ideas. Even if they eventually bombed though designers did things that made sense to someone. They did not throw out the baby with the bathwater and removed functionality to do something nobody was asking for. Really, before this how many people even *knew* how thin/thick their iMac was? Out of those who knew, how many actually cared before the 2012 iMac came out?
 
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