nagromme said:
* Headless pizza box iMac--use flat, or on its side like a micro-tower. With power supply, optical drive, and upgradable GPU--and loads of cooling vents. Aluminum, but maybe painted white.
The problem with the G5 isn't going to be venting, it's going to be getting the heat away from the machine, which requires some kind of active cooling system - liquid or air. On top of that, Apple's insistence on quiet computing, which they've largely lead us to expect, means higher prices and more elaborate systems to achieve this end. All in all, the only cost-cutting measure I can possibly conceive of is the removal of a built-in screen, and odds are that won't remove all
that much from the cost. The G5 necessitates an almost total refitting of the system and components, and that means greater hardware costs across the board.
Even headless, don't expect the iMac to be much cheaper than it is right now.
* Three widescreen DVI displays: 15.2", 17", 20".
Why would Apple reduce their overall screen real estate?
A move to widescreens at their current sizes would be far more impressive and useful, not to mention more in line with the progress in the overall industry. Stepping back - though it's more of a sidestep, but consumers won't see it that way - is usually not a good plan. Just ask intel about their new naming scheme.
* All displays have built in USB and Firewire hubs with ports on the sides, all have built-in Bluetooth, all have built-in microphones and stereo speakers with "subwoofer." Much more than just a display.
No thanks. I'll take a simple, functional display that does what it's supposed to and has fewer parts to go wrong, if you don't mind. Also, cabling to a monitor for all that would increase latency and decrease overall available length to the consumer - FireWire and USB only go so far without losing signal strength. It adds to the cable complexity unnecessarily, makes more for there to go wrong within the monitor itself, and generally fails to really add anything that isn't already done better externally or within the computer.
* A single "hydra cable" from CPU to display, connecting via a single multi-plugged "head" (like a laptop dock) cleanly in back of the display. Firewire, USB, DVI, power, and audio. ADC cleanness, without locking you into Apple displays.
This is interesting, but not really as "clean" as ADC, thought it would provide an even easier way to use non-Apple displays with your computer. If nothing else, the cable would have more RF interference than ADC does, because it carries all that additional signal. Also, I don't know exactly how you're expecting to have user-exchangable graphics cards with a single plug that does all this, but the multiple cord thing is one reason that Apple moved the way it did with ADC. You'd need some kind of internal routing to a socket, or to know how to plug everything on the back.
Definitely not new-user friendly.
* If you do choose an Apple display, then several mounting options: simple tripod stand like current Cinema Displays, or a wall mount, OR an arm mount that attaches to the CPU (when sideways) to make in all-in-one. The cable could be inside the arm.
Counterbalancing a 15 pound display is going to make that tower sit strangely when it doesn't have one, and probably list hard to one side in terms of overall weight. It's a cool idea and all, but I can see there being a lot of problems, especially with the detachable cable-in-arm setup.
Apple could even sell a standalone 17" CRT that attaches to the CPU with a swivel (at the same place the optional arm goes) and now you have also replaced the eMac! One model, lots of flexibility, no more e vs. i confusion.
If you think Apple can sell a $799 G5, then I'd like to see what crippling, corner-cutting measures you think will accomplish that. Just to point this out...
Asus SK8N motherboard for AMD Socket 940
-4x ECC or non-ECC dual-channel PC3200
-3x UltraDMA 133, 2x SATA
-1 AGP 8x, 5x PCI
-2x PS2, 1x LPT, 1x COM, 6x USB2.0 (4 rear), 2x 1394a (1 rear), Audio
-10/100 Ethernet onboard
$177
AMD Opteron 244
-1.8ghz
-1MB L2
$307
512 MB Crucial OEM PC3200
$87
Pioneer DVR-A07XLA
-8x DVD+/-RW
$122.99
Seagate 120GB 7200RPM SATA
-8MB buffer
$94
ATI Radeon 9600XT 128MB
$169
Enermax Noisetaker 600W PSU
$168
Without a case, that's $1125 in parts at retail, so call it about $850-900 wholesale. That's basically zero profit if Apple sells it a grand, with no monitor and fewer features than the PowerMac.
