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Next Apple iMacs with "Striking New Industrial Design"?
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Maybe I'm confused, but I think his A-F referred to all iMacs. A and B were G3, the "dome" refers to the G4, and the "slab" refers to the G5. In that case, the later, slot-loading iMacs would indeed be "revision B" in that scheme.
The whole point of touchscreens on desktop computers is to interact with your computer directly. Why have a touchscreen as a "control interface" when a keyboard and mouse work exactly the same for a fraction of the price? The mockup as is represents the only way I can see a touch screen being successful--used just the way it is on the iPhone and making computers more like "Minority Report" or "The Island." We already have touchpads and Wacom tablets for the other parts.
If you can't drag with your fingertip or zoom with gestures, the only real advantage to a touchscreen interface is a customizable keyboard, which could just as easily be accomplished with a keyboard with a bunch of little LCDs on it--as was prototyped a year or two ago.
Worrying about smudges is silly. Don't people clean their displays and keyboards regularly anyway? I know I do. Even failing that, you don't avoid putting food on artsy plates because they'll get dirty--you just clean up after yourself.
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That is interesting ... but the bottom part looks a bit too much like a DVD player hooked on to the display.
I already posted this in another thread, but ...
I think these examples are good proof that other manufacturers will eventually catch up to Apple if they simply rest on their laurels. But, thankfully, knowing Apple they already have something really good up their sleeves for the next revision.
Ok, someone was talking about subnotebooks recently. Now it's radical new iMacs. What if the subnotebook was part of the iMac? Just lift off the screen and take it on the road 
I wouldn't put it past Apple to combine these. After all, the "revolutionary mobile phone" and "widescreen video iPod" were rumoured to be separate devices...
I wouldn't put it past Apple to combine these. After all, the "revolutionary mobile phone" and "widescreen video iPod" were rumoured to be separate devices...
My thoughts on this: Touchscreen displays are expensive. A 24+ in multitouch display would not be price-able at a consumer price point. Having a smallish touchscreen and a large monitor behind it does not prevent you from interacting directly with your computer, in my opinion. The small touchscreen *is* your computer, and you will drag, zoom, etc on it. If you choose to flick a finger to send a window up to the bigger screen to see its contents better, you are relinquishing fingertip control in favor of mouse control (which will still be present, as an option). The touchscreen can be used to feed images, windows, etc up to the bigger screen, and can switch easily to become a software-driven control surface. Most of the time, though, you will have the option of working with your computer entirely on the touchscreen. Of course, the OS would have to support all of this...
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We'll be stocking those shortly at John Lewis. Seems all manufacturers are trying to change our computing lives at last. Hopefully Apple won't fall behind with touchscreens, most people almost expect the 24" to be already.
Or maybe it will look like this:
A combination of multi-touch and desktop
Out of all the artists renditions, that by far appeals to me the most. The foot seems to be unattached to the machine, but I get the general idea. Perhaps even rather than detachable touchscreens, you could have 90 degree tilt so as to lay it horizontal and then perhaps attach extra stands for stability. Could have great use in design fields.
Perhaps we should also be looking to Wacom's tablet screens for PC/Mac for inspiration and usability. No doubt building it into the OS would be much better, but it's certainly something that is already around.
Or maybe it will look like this:
A combination of multi-touch and desktop
So the screen floats in mid-air?
That would take a large bite out of Apple's profit margins. Despite having component costs similar (or even less than) to the 2ghz iMac, it's $500 more expensive. A lot of the cost difference is the touch screen.
That's what they said about micro-sized hard drives and about flash memory. Demand drives prices (as it stands, the componentry of a touch panel is not prohibitive given the falling prices of other components), so Apple can afford to and does make bold moves. Since the rumor suggests that the 17" is not being updated to the new style, it's also possible that only the larger iMacs will feature this technology at higher prices--possibly leaving only updated specs for the 17" and a low price.
It would be cheaper to make one large touch screen than the combination of a moderately sized touch screen and a whole second LCD. I don't see the advantage. If you want a large, permanently upright display, you could always add an external display ($300) for a lesser total cost than the needless two-screen interface.
People don't buy 24" computers to work on a scaled-down 10-12" version of it. They buy them to use that 24" display.
Yes..... Uhm, no!
I would to make clear that the screen is detachable and that you can work on it as a desktop computer as well.
I honestly don't get people who think that touchscreens are a good way of working, I mean.. What would I rather do? Move my finger 2 cm and click on an icon (or just use a shortcut button on my keyboard), which takes less than a second, or reach out to my brand new screen, touch it with my greasy fingers (as I'm drooling all over the place since I've got the latest iMac) and clean the screen every other minute..
Nah, touch screens is just too hitech for creativity and functionality. I mean, it takes *way* longer to to stuff than the traditional way, and all you get is a greasy screen, unless your hands are washed 100% of the time you use your computer...
Nah, touch screens is just too hitech for creativity and functionality. I mean, it takes *way* longer to to stuff than the traditional way, and all you get is a greasy screen, unless your hands are washed 100% of the time you use your computer...
I don't understand. You don't care about touching your keyboard or mouse or trackpad (which is quite difficult to clean) with your "greasy fingers" but touching the display suddenly becomes a problem? Do you not touch your chromed utensils and your handcrafted glasses out of fear of fingerprints, too?
Obviously displays designed to be touched are coated differently, in such a way as to reduce fingerprint smudges, which should be apparent to anyone who's actually used a touch panel made in the past two years. They need to be cleaned every once in a while, but so do keyboards and regular displays.
Eh.. The difference being that I don't have to look through my mouse, or keyboard. A fingerprint is not visible on my black plastic keyboard, but is sure as hell is visible on my LCD screen when my girlfriend touches it to point at something - that's where I look!
And why the hell does all the girlfriends touch your screens with their fingers?!
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I hope I'm not alone in my sincere desire that Apple NEVER makes anything that looks like this.
You're not alone. It looks awful. Apple would never make something like that. Apple is all about clean straight lines and simplicity. That thing just looks like some cheap non-branded twenty quid Chinese DVD player.
The floating iMac (#332) is beautiful design. And #322 is very functional, could be dockable/expandable, "G4-like." What if flat 1/4" x 5" riser (or arms on either side) near front of base attaching to display back near top--the "zMac." Display folds down flat to reduce shipping/packaging/environmental costs. Modular, transportable, but heavy/bulky enough not to be too portable and cut into laptop sales (very important). Use a power brick to make it even more of a hassle to transport. While the below depiction is "Dellfugly" the Apple design team certainly could clean it up and make it work. Same color scheme as Apple TV and mini.
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Touch-screen desktops are on of those ideas that sound great but suck in practice. It's uncomfortable, apps have to be re-written, and your screen gets gunked up (yes, even the "special ones" designed for touching.)
A tablet pc..yeah. A laptop...*maybe*. A Mac desktop? Never.
A tablet pc..yeah. A laptop...*maybe*. A Mac desktop? Never.
I meant it as a tablet wich you also can use as a desktop. (Bluetooth mouse / keyboard).
LOL!! Thanks goodness for that!.
£20!! - Your optimism knows no bounds! more like £2 quid!
Or maybe it will look like this:
A combination of multi-touch and desktop
I would buy this.
It looks very sleek and smooth. Now it needs to have a Quad Core 2.4GHz, 4GB of Ram, GeForce Mobile 8000 Series w/ 512MB Video Memory, and the Ability for (2) 1TB SATA2 Hard Drives, and we are in business!