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Apple Updates iMacs and eMacs

applematters writes "Apple has updated the iMacs, they are faster and incorporate AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth. There are two models, the 15-inch and 17-inch. For good measure the eMac has also been updated, and you can get it brand new for under a thousand bucks. Not bad."

10 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. Slight correction by Anonymous+Codger · · Score: 4, Informative

    The eMacs have not been updated, only reduced in price. I'm not complaining - I may finally break down and order one at the new price

    --
    No sig? Sigh...
  2. Post Tramatic Stress! by jptechnical · · Score: 5, Informative

    I used to sell Apples and now is the time all the stores freak out about overstock. If you are looking for a good deal, and you don't mind being a little behind the curve, hit some of your smaller shops and you can really save some money.

    --

    Boredom's not a burden anyone should bear.
  3. Re:End of the G4? by Twirlip+of+the+Mists · · Score: 5, Informative

    With the reduced pricing on the G4s lately it makes me wonder if Apple has finally picked a new flagship chip to use coming soon.

    Uh... no. There is talk about the PowerPC 970, but it's at least 6 months away from being available for testing, much less for production.

    The price cuts are for one reason and one reason only: Apple wants to move more units. Last quarter was more or less a break-even for Apple, and the pace of sales has slowed as the economy has gotten steadily worse over the past two years. So Apple has revised (nearly) every product in the line over the past month, and is cutting prices across the low end to encourage people who were sitting on the fence to buy now.

    --

    I write in my journal
  4. Re:Who cares? by Draoi · · Score: 4, Informative
    Apple sucks. It's not like they support Open Source.

    *sigh* - trolling, I know ...

    http://publicsource.apple.com

    "We think Open Source is great!" - Steve Jobs

    --
    Alison

    "It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." - Albert Einstein

  5. Re:Not bad? Try really bad by Alex+Thorpe · · Score: 2, Informative

    I believe the first iMacs were sold for $1299, and the site www.everymac.com confirms it.

    I don't pay any attention to PC prices(after all, I have no intention of ever buying one), but when the price of the complete system goes for less than what the CRT alone used to cost, it just sounds cheap and low quality.

    --
    "Common Sense Ain't" -Unknown
  6. Re:End of the G4? by King+Babar · · Score: 4, Informative
    Uh... no. There is talk about the PowerPC 970, but it's at least 6 months away from being available for testing, much less for production.

    You're right in that I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this chip, but I think you're being a bit pessimistic about the timing of its arrival. This page on the PowerPC 970 is decently informative and recent. It suggests sampling will start ti happen in the second quarter of 2003, and volume production will begin in the second half of 2003. Has the schedule already slipped this far? My impression was that IBM doesn't like to let these things slide.

    There's no doubt that 2003 could be a pretty tricky year for Apple, but I think I like their roadmap leading to January 2004 *much* better than any other hardware vendor out there. Right now, Apple is basically in a position where they will make a little bit of money, and when their high-end hardware is actually really fast again...I don't think their sales are likely to go down.

    --

    Babar

  7. Re:Not bad? Try really bad by Alex+Thorpe · · Score: 3, Informative

    Oh, about memory usage. I just downloaded a free utility that monitors memory usage to determine if having more memory would speed things up. I've 320MB, and have opened up my usual programs: Mail, Safari, iTunes(playing), and addtions like Watson and iCal. Not only is there zero disk swapping, but I've got 77MB of extra memory that hasn't been touched. I'm sure that I could push it further with a commercial game, but I'm not going to use any of the others at the same time, save the Mail app. No, I don't have MS-Office, and I don't need it.

    I did used to run OS X with 192MB of memory, but slowdowns were few and far between, mainly when I was viewing dozens of full screen jpegs on a single web page.

    --
    "Common Sense Ain't" -Unknown
  8. Not quite. by jht · · Score: 3, Informative

    The only model that was actually _updated_ was the 17" iMac, with a new DDR-based logic board, 1 GHz processor, built-in Bluetooth support, and AirPort Extreme support. The 15" iMac is just a price reduction on the previous Combo drive model (no new features, still SDRAM-based, same speed), and the eMac models were also reduced in price with no new features. That's all.

    Of course, had my story submission about 10 hours ago been taken, the correct info would be up for this story already... (grumble)

    I'm guessing that the new 17" iMac is based on the same logic board/chipset in the new PowerBooks. I wonder if they're using regular form factor DIMMs now for the user-installable slot or if they're still using SO-DIMMs. It'll make a big difference in memory upgrade prices between one and the other.

    --
    -- Josh Turiel
    "2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
    1. Re:Not quite. by jht · · Score: 2, Informative

      AirPort is 802.11b (WiFi), and uses a modified PC Card form factor that attaches to the ATA bus on Macs with AirPort support built-in. Macs that lack AirPort support (older PowerBooks), can still live on AirPort networks using off-the-shelf WiFi cards with Mac drivers.

      AirPort Extreme is the new, pre-standard 802.11g (not accepted yet but supposedly finalized) - it's backwards-compatible with 802.11b, and also supports 54 MBps operation when talking to 802.11g devices. Unlike 802.11a, it works in the 2.4 Gb range.

      AirPort Extreme uses a new, mini-PCI form factor and the two card types are not interchangable. New Mac models introduced since January have the new AirPort Extreme card type, older ones still support AirPort-only. However, AirPort Extreme Macs can live on AirPort networks (albeit at the lower signal rate) and vice-versa.

      Right now, Macs that support AirPort Extreme are:
      PowerMac (all OS-X-only models)
      12" and 17" Powerbooks (AlBooks)
      iMac 17"

      Macs with AirPort-only support are:
      eMac
      iMac G3
      iMac 15"
      iBook (all models)
      PowerBook 15" (the TiBook)
      MacOS 9-capable PowerMacs

      The other thing is that all the AirPort Extreme-capable Macs also support built-in Bluetooth.

      --
      -- Josh Turiel
      "2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
  9. Re: AirPort Extreme by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 2, Informative

    they are faster and incorporate AirPort Extreme

    No, only the 17" incorporates Airport Extreme. The 15" hasn't changed. They have to clear out old inventory first.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
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