Quiet Introduction of $899 iMac Education Model

Apple(R) today introduced a new $899 configuration of the 17-inch iMac(R) designed specifically for education customers featuring a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, a built-in iSight(TM) video camera and iLife(R) '06, the next generation of Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications. The 17-inch iMac for education is available immediately and will replace the eMac(R), Apple's last CRT based computer, providing students and teachers everything they need to learn and create in today's digital classroom, all in the ultra-efficient iMac design.

The ultimate in design simplicity, the iMac is ideal for the space saving needs of both the classroom and the dorm room with the entire computer built right into a two-inch thin display. The iMac design has continuously improved generation after generation, resulting in increased material efficiency, decreased packaging mass and volume, and decreased energy consumption -- all of which lead to a smaller environmental footprint.

Featuring a 17-inch widescreen LCD display, the iMac for education includes a Combo drive for burning CDs and reading DVDs, 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable up to 2GB and hard drive storage capacity up to 160GB. Every iMac also includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing out-of-the-box using Apple's award-winning iChat AV, or recording a video podcast or iMovie(R) using iLife '06. Providing the latest in high-performance connectivity options, the 17-inch iMac for education includes built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort(R) Extreme 802.11g WiFi for up to 54 Mbps fast wireless networking*, a total of five USB ports (three USB 2.0) and two FireWire(R) 400 ports.

 

*integrated graphics*

Let the whine fest begin.

 

Whats the difference between this and the regular 17"? Combo drive and maybe the video card?

 

Well, this is the education model. It's not suppose to be some magnificent gaming/program intensive machine. It's meant for light to moderate use (word processing, internet access, calculations, maybe some programming). I think this machine is more for schools than a student-owned model. It's just a cheaper version of the iMac, so that its more affordable for education facilities to purchase.

 

So Basically a desktop version of the macbook

 

Why has this not hit page 1 yet?

Its the eMac reborn

 

This is a fantastic thing - my uni were thinking of moving back to PCs in the computing department for the maths machines (mathmatica etc) but with this price they'll not be doing so

Only thing is, it's not appeared in the UK Edu store yet

 

Weren't a lot of edu places staying away from iMacs because of the form factor? You do know they can fall over in earthquakes don't you?

 

Smaller Hard Drive - 80GB vs 160GB
No Bluetooth
No Apple Remote
Combo Drive
Integrated Video Card

 

Here are the specs for the lazy:
17-inch widescreen LCD
1440x900 resolution
1.83GHz Intel Core Duo processor (1)
512MB memory (2x256MB SO-DIMMs)
80GB Serial ATA hard drive
24x Combo drive (DVD-ROM, CD-RW)
Intel GMA 950 graphics with 64MB of shared memory
$899
Not bad, and its available to college students who want an iMac for cheap.
This looks like a much better deal then the Mac Mini!

 

Quiet Introduction of $899 iMac Education Model



Apple has quietly introduced an Education-Store-Only model of the iMac to replace the removed eMac model.

The new low-end iMac sports a 1.83GHz Core Duo, 80GB hard drive, 24x Combo drive, and uses the GMA 950 shared memory video configuration found on the Mac mini and newly released MacBook. Bluetooth 2.0 and the Apple Remote are NOT included. Base price for the machine is set at $899 USD.

 

sweeet
all these people are gonna have a heart attack for the shared memory though

 

Well there goes the eMac rumors. Still, keeping the iSight still worries me a bit. I've still made the suggestion that future Apple purchases should be this new iMac model over a Mini + Dell LCD combo.

 

where can we buy one of these? I can't seem to find one around the website!

 

Hey this machine is actually pretty nice, just logged on to Apple's australian educational store and didn't see any sign of this model.

Is it available to individuals as well?

 

Educational Store

 

Education-Store-Only

 

not sure if that link will hold up to the edu store, so please report a post if it dies...

http://store.apple.com/1-800-780-50...Individual.woa/wo/StoreReentry.wo?family=iMac

<edit> LINK DIED </edit>

 

That's a nice little machine there.

 

Yes, it's there in the US edu store. Maybe they haven't updated your page just yet.

 

whoa....$300 difference for a DVD burner, 80gigs of space, Bluetooth, and an x1600? Isn't that a bit extreme?

 

Departmental Education Store only.

$200 for education.

 

already died. but this is good news for students and schools.