Why The imac ?

[mark6051]

I originally posted this reply as a sidenote in the whole "One More Thing" thread. Now the editor of Macworld I think is in agreeance with this article...Who else agree's that the mini would be a more apt fit for a media centre than an imac..

Again - I am not dissing the imac - its a great combination and all in one product, but at least Apple could make "Front Row" available to those who want an ideal, unobtrusive cheap media PC in the living room

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2005/10/macminimedia/index.php

**************************


Why The imac ?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Has Apple missed the point on media integration. I mean, why the imac ?

I would have thought the mini would have been a far better choice to integrate the new media software with

Don't get me wrong, the imac is really nice, and as a complete package hard to beat, but I think the mini would have been a far better choice to upgrade into a media centre than the imac.

If I really wanted to, I could get a vpod, and a dock and hook that up to my Plasma, but then I can't surf the net or download more when the movie finished, so again, why the imac and not the mini which is far less intrusive ?
__________________
23 years later, the rumors all start with the same "reliable source".

"I have heard from a reliable source that there will be a SmallTalk-80 implementation for the Apple “Lisa.” There is however some question as to whether it will be fast enough. This aside from the problem of what Xerox will decide to do with SmallTalk as a whole" (sell it, public domain, etc.).

That was the first ever Mac rumor found on the net back in 1982, according to Google’s usenet archive.

 

[yg17]

My guess is the mini isn't powerful enough for certain things, mainly high def h.264

 

[rainman::|:|]

Gotta start somewhere. The iMac is pricey enough that they can add features like that and justify it. Plus it already looks just like a flat-screen TV. I'd imagine if FrontRow takes off, we'll see it on all desktops before long.

They've tried hard to keep the Mini from being a convergence device. It may happen yet, but I think they want to get it really successful first.

 

[mark6051]

My guess is the mini isn't powerful enough for certain things, mainly high def h.264

bump it up to a 1.6ghz g5 - more than enough oomph without heat issues becoming a concern....If they can cram a 2ghz g5 into an imac - I don't see a technical issue with a 1.6 in a mini

 

[Danksi]

How about a headless iMac? Remove the screen and it should be thin enough to sit under or on top of most Surround Sound Amps, with a DVI connection instead of the current VGA for any screen you want.

But no I don't see the iMac as an entertainment centre, not for a family room at least. Perhaps for rich students or a bedroom, where it's used as a Computer first and then a spare TV/DVD player second. The remote makes it slightly more convenient, than getting up and using the keyboard.

 

[mark6051]

How about a headless iMac? Remove the screen and it should be thin enough to sit under or on top of most Surround Sound Amps.

thats a sweet idea as well....then you would have a device similar in style to a Bose Lifestyle device - long, thin and elegant, add a DVI or HDMI port, toslink for sound, and there you go,

....I think that would make a big dent in mini sales though

 

[mark6051]

Gotta start somewhere. The iMac is pricey enough that they can add features like that and justify it. Plus it already looks just like a flat-screen TV. I'd imagine if FrontRow takes off, we'll see it on all desktops before long.

They've tried hard to keep the Mini from being a convergence device. It may happen yet, but I think they want to get it really successful first.

Even if they just made "Front Row" a standalone piece of software....but included it with the imac - that would make more sense to me - I would be quite happy to buy it and then maybe an additional ir receiver to support the remote

 

[Danksi]

thats a sweet idea as well....then you would have a device similar in style to a Bose Lifestyle device - long, thin and elegant, add a DVI or HDMI port, toslink for sound, and there you go,

....I think that would make a big dent in mini sales though

Depends how many people out there are trying to use the Mini as an entertainments centre or just a desktop replacement.

Apple would have to position it somewhere between the top level Mini and lower iMac. Mini for switchers etc, headless iMac for entertainment centre. They'd have to add a TV tuner and DVR functionality, but perhaps remove iLife and a few other things - since it's primarily a media centre, not computer.

 

[mark6051]

Apple would have to position it somewhere between the top level Mini and lower iMac. Mini for switchers etc, headless iMac for entertainment centre. They'd have to add a TV tuner and DVR functionality, but perhaps remove iLife and a few other things - since it's primarily a media centre, not computer.

are you taking about removing ilife completely with itunes, imovie, idvd etc
or just the ilife overhead and keeping some of the parts such as itunes.

Apple has fought too hard I think to dump its ilife motif for any product now or in the foreseeable future

Plus itunes is rapidly becoming a core element of Apple. Which incidentally sucks because its still not available to at least 1/4 of Apples customer base including me

 

[dotdotdot]

Why the iMac? Its actually simple.

The iMac is aimed at mostly college students (one of the reasons the eMac is gone?) right now, as evidenced by Apple.com saying that Front Row should make any dorm room cooler, and by the iMac having "teenage effects," as said by Steve Jobs. And for a dorm room that usually lacks a television but has a computer, the iMac is great.

You download TV Shows and play them with front row. You watch them at night, like a TV without the cable bill. Plus you got your music, and your pictures built right in.

But Windows XP Media Center Edition is what a REAL media center should be. DVD, Movies, Music, TV, DVR, Pictures, everything. An XP Media Center is much better than Front Row for a home entertainment center.

So why would Apple bundle their media center, which really isnt a Media Center like Microsoft's, but rather a way to find all the saved media on your hard drive, with all their computers? They shouldn't. If they IMPROVED upon their "Front Row," adding DVR and Television to it, than every Mac should have it.

 

[macbaseball]

bump it up to a 1.6ghz g5 - more than enough oomph without heat issues becoming a concern....If they can cram a 2ghz g5 into an imac - I don't see a technical issue with a 1.6 in a mini

One it's way to hot and big and two that kinda defeats the purpose of a low cost computer if it has a reasonably new processor in it, because they it wouldn't be $499.

 

[eva01]

what dorm room doesn't have a TV O_O when i spent a year in a dorm we had two TVs and two/three computers and every game system.

No TV would be blasphemy

 

[dotdotdot]

what dorm room doesn't have a TV O_O when i spent a year in a dorm we had two TVs and two/three computers and every game system.

No TV would be blasphemy

Some of my friends older brothers and sisters dorm rooms don't.

I'm talking about those dorm rooms that are all connected to the school and the school provides your internet and phone but doesn't have cable wires running through the walls.

 

[mark6051]

One it's way to hot and big and two that kinda defeats the purpose of a low cost computer if it has a reasonably new processor in it, because they it wouldn't be $499.

1.6ghz g5 is not new- its probably been out a couple of years now and production of chips of that speed would not be an issue

secondly - I am no engineer, but with a chip clocked that low - would heat really be a major issue - sure some cosmetic changes may be required like a vent in the top like a Cube - maybe someone like a thermal engineer or designer can answer that question more thoroughly if they tune in.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Depends how many people out there are trying to use the Mini as an entertainments centre or just a desktop replacement.

Apple would have to position it somewhere between the top level Mini and lower iMac. Mini for switchers etc, headless iMac for entertainment centre. They'd have to add a TV tuner and DVR functionality, but perhaps remove iLife and a few other things - since it's primarily a media centre, not computer.

Don't count out that "computer thing". There are those of us that thought long and hard about a Mac media center. I would love to be on my couch typing this on a large HDTV.

 

[mark6051]

Don't count out that "computer thing". There are those of us that thought long and hard about a Mac media center. I would love to be on my couch typing this on a large HDTV.

Mr Jobs has said he doesnt see a future in that...sorry dude...I couldn't think of anything worse than trying to type an email while the kids are swarming and buggin the heck out of me to swap to Barney or the Wiggles

 

[mark6051]

PS
Thanks for all the posts, some very strong thoughts voiced on the subject and no brawling...good to see people getting along with no violence on the subject for a change

 

[macbaseball]

1.6ghz g5 is not new- its probably been out a couple of years now and production of chips of that speed would not be an issue

secondly - I am no engineer, but with a chip clocked that low - would heat really be a major issue - sure some cosmetic changes may be required like a vent in the top like a Cube - maybe someone like a thermal engineer or designer can answer that question more thoroughly if they tune in.

I agree with you that it's not new, but I still think it's not old enough for the Mini. The high end G5 has always been overclocked - if you think back the fastest G5 at the beginning of the summer was 2.0 GHz. Also the Mini consists of mainly laptop technology along with some technology developed specifically for the Mini. If they can't get a G5 in a Powerbook, then they most likely can't get a G5 into a Mini.

 

[Kwyjibo]

DotX3, I think you're a bit off base on this one to be honest, after spending a few years in and around dorms, I can think of MANY more dorms with a tv and not a computer. Also apple introducing this computer now makes little to no sense, college students already bought there computers for the next few years, that window has pretty much closed. Most dorms have free cable and internet or atleast all the ones at all the colleges I've been to have.

I think this goes with the symplicity direction as you said tho, and the fact that a family could easy display pictures even with a remote or set this computer up as a digital pciture frame type thing, would be appealing to some.

 

[jiv3turkey748]

apple needs to make a new computer thats around $799 and is an all out media pc, the imacs too expensive for people who just want it as a media pc and the mac mini is more intended for switchers and people who just want a good cheap computer

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Mr Jobs has said he doesnt see a future in that...sorry dude...I couldn't think of anything worse than trying to type an email while the kids are swarming and buggin the heck out of me to swap to Barney or the Wiggles

Sorry, but not all of us are married with 2.3 children. It is all about niche markets right now.

 

[greatdevourer]

If they can't get a G5 in a Powerbook, then they most likely can't get a G5 into a Mini.

Especially as a Mini is nowt more than an iBook minus kb/mse/screen

What I want to see are plugins for FrontRow, eg, I could hook up my StudioTVR to it, and have it as a 5th option in the main wheel thing, and watch TV/play a [GameCube or PS2] game