You've read the rumors. They've been around for a year or two. Apple will be replacing the iMac's big, heavy CRT with a flat panel display.
Sorry, it's not going to happen.
The iMac is Apple's lowest cost, entry level computer. Flat panel displays cost a heck of a lot more than CRTs. Sure, there's some saving from shipping a smaller lighter box, some from not having to dish out at much power to drive the display, and some from not having to worry about aligning the display and not damaging it in shipping, but between them they don't outweigh the simple fact that the iMac with a CRT may always cost less than an iMac with a flat panel display.
Besides, Apple already has a flat panel iMac -- it's called the iBook. For not too much more money than you'd pay for an iMac, you get a 1024x768 flat panel display, a small footprint, a light package, portability, and hours upon hours of battery life.
What would Apple gain from selling a flat panel iMac instead of an iBook? Nothing. The iBook is the more flexible computer.
What would users gain from a flat panel iMac instead of an iBook? A small footprint desktop computer more portable than the original Macintosh and an easier-on-the-eyes display.
What would Apple lose from selling a flat panel iMac? iBook sales. Power Mac G4 + flat panel display sales. Maybe even some PowerBook sales.
What would users lose with a flat panel iMac compared with an iBook? Battery power, a more fully integrated design (keyboard and trackpad built in, not plugged in), and high portability.
It Won't Be an iMac
For the near future, Apple will keep the CRT-based iMac going, hopefully reducing its price a bit more every six months or so. But Apple recognizes that the fastest growing segment of the personal computer market it portables. I'm one of many users who migrated from a desktop Mac to a PowerBook or iBook over the last year or so. Over time, that will become a more common pattern. When there's a small difference in price between a desktop and a display compared to a laptop, the laptop will generally be the logical choice.
Not to say that Apple won't try to fill the Cube's empty niche an release a worthy successor to the 20th Anniversary Mac. I half expect to see a new flat panel Macintosh at Macworld Expo in January, probably built around the same 15" flat panel display Apple now sells separately. It will be less costly than a Power Mac G4 and Apple's 15" display, but it will be more expensive than the top-end iMac.
As a fan of the old compact Macs and someone who adores the Color Classic's design (if not its performance), I'd love to see Apple do one of two things:
Release 12", 15", and 17" flat panel Macs using the iBook's display on the low end, the 15" display or TiBook display in the middle, and a 1280x1024 display at the top end.
Create a docking system that allows a computer module to couple with a 12", 15", 17", or even 22" display, essentially turning the duo into one computer.
Whether Apple will do different sizes, I don't know. Whether they will have a flat panel Mac to show in January, I don't know.
But you can count on one thing -- they won't call it an iMac.
A 286 was the same speed as a 386SX at the same MHZ. This is easily proved by playing Wolfenstien 3D. Couldn't figure out why my 386SX was the same speed as my bud's 286.
386DX is much faster.
Also, a 286, being 16bit, couldn't run Linux, Windows 95, Windows 3.11 in enhanced mode, DOOM.
You really couldn't get anything done with 16 bits, once GUI's, etc came to be common.
Think of what we can do with 64 bits that we can't with 32.
Remember this:
We are near the 4G barrier. Microsoft's next OS might take 1GB memory, and their office suite will take the next 1GB. Okay, I'm exagerrating, but you get the pictures. 4GB isn't much at all. You can buy that much for $250.
We can do alot of things with 32 bit machines right now, and we'll be able to do more in the future. But, we best move to 64 bits faster than we moved to 32. 16 bits still haunts us to this day!
8. Less heat generation than a desktop with a monitor. We have a certain new lab with 70 desktops with 19" monitors at my university and it's like a sauna in that room.
My 19", 17", and 15" monitors keep my room warm, without having to use the heater! That saves money!
The teachers were very angry that we weren't going to allow them to plug their 250+ laptops into the network we installed. From a support stand point, and a cabling/switch port standpoint, it wasn't feasible.
Back on Topic...
I can just see these kids with laptops. We've got kids who printed vulgar messages on printers, changed screensavers, dismantled mice.
My favorite was where a bus driver nabbed a kid who was throwing key caps at people on the bus. Apparently, he removed 4 keyboard's worth of key caps (the old IBM style), put them in a bag, and ran around saying he was the Keyboard Fairy. Nice.
Besides, they need to be working, not playing with laptops. I'd be scared to give laptops to the adults in my office!
Schools are in bad shape today, I can only hope we find a fix.
Never had as single incident with a 3Com. Now, the numerous Linksys, Allied Telesyn, Netgear, DLink, etc etc I've had tons of trouble with. Driver issues, card issues.
3Com works great, supported all over. I keep them around for standbys when I can't get a Linux setup working with another card.
I do find the cheaper cards useful at times though.
Slashdot Mirror
Hey!
Connectix GameStation ran on Macs. PSX emulation on GameCube!
OSX/YellowDog on GC!
Only thing is, consoles don't have a whole lot of RAM, so UNIX isn't that great on them. Would still be fun to do.
Low End Mac has an article.
/.'ed
In case it is
You've read the rumors. They've been around for a year or two. Apple will be replacing the iMac's big, heavy CRT with a flat panel display.
Sorry, it's not going to happen.
The iMac is Apple's lowest cost, entry level computer. Flat panel displays cost a heck of a lot more than CRTs. Sure, there's some saving from shipping a smaller lighter box, some from not having to dish out at much power to drive the display, and some from not having to worry about aligning the display and not damaging it in shipping, but between them they don't outweigh the simple fact that the iMac with a CRT may always cost less than an iMac with a flat panel display.
Besides, Apple already has a flat panel iMac -- it's called the iBook. For not too much more money than you'd pay for an iMac, you get a 1024x768 flat panel display, a small footprint, a light package, portability, and hours upon hours of battery life.
What would Apple gain from selling a flat panel iMac instead of an iBook? Nothing. The iBook is the more flexible computer.
What would users gain from a flat panel iMac instead of an iBook? A small footprint desktop computer more portable than the original Macintosh and an easier-on-the-eyes display.
What would Apple lose from selling a flat panel iMac? iBook sales. Power Mac G4 + flat panel display sales. Maybe even some PowerBook sales.
What would users lose with a flat panel iMac compared with an iBook? Battery power, a more fully integrated design (keyboard and trackpad built in, not plugged in), and high portability.
It Won't Be an iMac
For the near future, Apple will keep the CRT-based iMac going, hopefully reducing its price a bit more every six months or so. But Apple recognizes that the fastest growing segment of the personal computer market it portables. I'm one of many users who migrated from a desktop Mac to a PowerBook or iBook over the last year or so. Over time, that will become a more common pattern. When there's a small difference in price between a desktop and a display compared to a laptop, the laptop will generally be the logical choice.
Not to say that Apple won't try to fill the Cube's empty niche an release a worthy successor to the 20th Anniversary Mac. I half expect to see a new flat panel Macintosh at Macworld Expo in January, probably built around the same 15" flat panel display Apple now sells separately. It will be less costly than a Power Mac G4 and Apple's 15" display, but it will be more expensive than the top-end iMac.
As a fan of the old compact Macs and someone who adores the Color Classic's design (if not its performance), I'd love to see Apple do one of two things:
Release 12", 15", and 17" flat panel Macs using the iBook's display on the low end, the 15" display or TiBook display in the middle, and a 1280x1024 display at the top end.
Create a docking system that allows a computer module to couple with a 12", 15", 17", or even 22" display, essentially turning the duo into one computer.
Whether Apple will do different sizes, I don't know. Whether they will have a flat panel Mac to show in January, I don't know.
But you can count on one thing -- they won't call it an iMac.
you-have-to-come-out-of-the-cubical-sometime
dude...it's CUBICLE
Our XMAS party was Nov 30th. Many other companies had their party in November. Who hasn't had theirs yet?
A 286 was the same speed as a 386SX at the same MHZ. This is easily proved by playing Wolfenstien 3D. Couldn't figure out why my 386SX was the same speed as my bud's 286.
386DX is much faster.
Also, a 286, being 16bit, couldn't run Linux, Windows 95, Windows 3.11 in enhanced mode, DOOM.
You really couldn't get anything done with 16 bits, once GUI's, etc came to be common.
Think of what we can do with 64 bits that we can't with 32.
Remember this:
We are near the 4G barrier. Microsoft's next OS might take 1GB memory, and their office suite will take the next 1GB. Okay, I'm exagerrating, but you get the pictures. 4GB isn't much at all. You can buy that much for $250.
We can do alot of things with 32 bit machines right now, and we'll be able to do more in the future. But, we best move to 64 bits faster than we moved to 32. 16 bits still haunts us to this day!
It had to happen
I'm waiting for a giant AOL Virus to sweep the nation!
Maximum Linux is/was a sister mag to Linux Format
8. Less heat generation than a desktop with a monitor. We have a certain new lab with 70 desktops with 19" monitors at my university and it's like a sauna in that room.
My 19", 17", and 15" monitors keep my room warm, without having to use the heater! That saves money!
My AMD procs provide hot water and cook my food!!
In Michigan, Governor Engler gave ALL teachers laptops. Talk about a waste of $$$$
http://www.gp.k12.mi.us/TTI/default.htm
The teachers were very angry that we weren't going to allow them to plug their 250+ laptops into the network we installed. From a support stand point, and a cabling/switch port standpoint, it wasn't feasible.
Back on Topic...
I can just see these kids with laptops. We've got kids who printed vulgar messages on printers, changed screensavers, dismantled mice.
My favorite was where a bus driver nabbed a kid who was throwing key caps at people on the bus. Apparently, he removed 4 keyboard's worth of key caps (the old IBM style), put them in a bag, and ran around saying he was the Keyboard Fairy. Nice.
Besides, they need to be working, not playing with laptops. I'd be scared to give laptops to the adults in my office!
Schools are in bad shape today, I can only hope we find a fix.
They bid on hardware specs, not actual machines.
We had bids from Dell, Gateway, Compaq, and IBM.
The specs were:
400mhz CPU Pentium or equivalant
32MB RAM
5GB HD
12.1 COLOR screen
Network Card
56K modem
This was just this spring! Laughable specs.
The Governor of Michigan gave every teacher in the state a crappy laptop.
It says Netscape 4.77 on Sony PS2
Look on the front edge of the counter the thing is sitting on.
Is there any way to easily add 128MB of FAST memory?
PC Gluttons are used to at LEAST 64, and even 256 or more now that RAM costs less than rice.
The processors are also relatively slow for general use.
This might make a good SETI machine, or other distributed computing task.
But for the $450 (PS2+linux kit) you'd think you could build a pretty bad ass DIY PC.
I'm pretty sure my giving a million ROMs away you're violating more than the MAME license.
Besides, you think you could get little jonny and uncle mike to get MAME/SNES9X etc working right?
That Macintosh Keyboard/Mouse standard.
personally, I like it, especially daisy chaning the keybarod mouse....
never did like PC mouse, or keyboard.
Serial, PS2, 5 pin.....ugh
If EVERYTHING was USB it'd ROX0R
Postage stamp video at its finest! I was so jealous of my bud's Quadra back in like 93.
Then I remember watching the Weezer videos on the Win95 CD
Linux video isn't up to par yet...but I don't mind. Who the hell watches video on the PC, anyhow?
Wh00p.
Turns out they've started filtering ports!
I can't run apache or wu-ftp now.
I guess I'll have to find some ports that work!
@Home let me run servers.....not liking this at all!
I'm a cow!
Yeah Baby!
Only problem is that I've got a new IP address. And I can't remember it! I keep thinking of my old one!
Make sure you convert the games to run on quarters, or you'll have to buy a token machine too!
Why aren't there any on STAR TREK
Star Trek
Star Wars
Harry Potter
Monty Python
Flash Movies
The Tick
X Files
Babylon 5
MST 2K
Anything on Sci Fi
We could make them last longer between breaks, eat less pizza/jolt, and stay up 24/7!
They could code, code, and code some more!
Maybe we can get some mult-tasking in their 'upgraded kernel'!
What's horrible is people don't know the power of midgets!
Midgets fuckin rule, baby!
Never had as single incident with a 3Com. Now, the numerous Linksys, Allied Telesyn, Netgear, DLink, etc etc I've had tons of trouble with. Driver issues, card issues.
3Com works great, supported all over. I keep them around for standbys when I can't get a Linux setup working with another card.
I do find the cheaper cards useful at times though.
CAT5 wire runs are generally $100 a pop.
Figure another $50 in travel or what not....seems about right to me!
Some guys run (no pun intended) $50 a wire if it's only CAT3