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Updated eMac Line Released Today
TellarHK writes "Today, Apple's eMac line got a nice upgrade with all models getting a 32M Radeon 7500 video chipset, display capable of 1280x960 resolution on a 17" flat CRT, and price cuts across the board. $799 will get you a base model with 40GB of drive, 128M of RAM (continuing the rather odd stinginess on RAM configurations), and an 800Mhz G4. $999 will get you an extra 20GB of drive and a 1Ghz processor, while $1299 lands you a whopping (ahem) 256M of memory, 80G, and a SuperDrive at 4x."
Not a bad update but 128MB of RAM on the lowest and middle configuration? C'Mon Apple! OS X needs at LEAST 256 MB to be useful and more is even better. The video card is also at the bare minimum for OS X with the ATI 7500, but thats understandable in a .edu machine. The Speed bump and the rest is a nice update and for the price its a pretty good deal.
On another note Thinksecret nailed this one a month ago. They also get the iBook update on the nose too. Seems to be the only rumor site with a shit anymore...
I hope you die painfully and alone.
1) FireWire
2) If you need USB2-type speed, Apple wants you to buy a better machine anyway.
"Science is a tribute to what we can know although we are fallible" -Jacob Bronowski
*IF* Apple has fixed the huge early-failure defect problem they were having with eMacs, then these look like nice econo-G4 systems. Base price is about where the much weaker G3/15" CRT iMac was until recently.
They're really short on memory for most uses, but good 3rd party memory is so cheap that it's often thrown in free when you buy the system.
Size & weight are what you pay for the eMac being a G4 at G3 prices - look, lift it, & measure your desk before you buy.
It's easy to make up & spread cool- and credible-sounding stuff. Finding & checking hard facts is hard work.
Apple charging high prices for RAM is like 7 Eleven charging ~$20 for the smallest bottle of Tylenol made-- it's all about convenience.
People in the know buy the bare minimum RAM from Apple, and max out their machines with third-party RAM from a trusted source. Personally I swear by Other World Computing's "store-brand" RAM. I buy it for myself and recommend it to clients, and I've never had a problem with any of it.
~Philly
It was always my understanding that Apple shipped with low quantities of RAM as a bone thrown to their retail distributors. If you buy from MacMall or MacWarehouse you get "free" RAM with your purchase. If customers thought they had enough then this offer wouldnn't have the apeal it now has.