I came across this review from the Globe & Mail website. A nice illustration of why while some of us may be intrigued by the goings on in the MacWorld, most of us will elect to remain in the competitive 'Wintel' environment.
jwm
IMac G5
By MATTHEW FORDAHL
Associated Press
For six years, iMacs have set the standard for the PC industry with eye-popping designs, clever use of space and leaps in usability. Lately, though, Apple Computer Inc. seems to be making more waves with iPod music players than its venerable consumer PCs.
But fear not, Apple fans and design aficionados.
The iMac line whose debut machine looked like a giant egg, and that later morphed into something resembling a table lamp, now has a third generation. It looks sort of like an oversized iPod.
The iMac G5 is Apple's most streamlined and polished design yet, squeezing all the innards into a white plastic flat-panel display. It distances Apple even further from the bulk of Windows-based PC world, where variations of gray, beige and black are all too common.
Still, style alone does not a great computer make. Though Apple uses its most capable processor ever, it skimps on memory and other extras. Out of the box, a new iMac is an incomplete masterpiece.
You can finish the job, but it's going to cost you.
The default configurations range between $1,299 (U.S.) for an iMac with a 1.6 gigahertz processor and $1,899 for a 1.8 GHz system. To finish the job, you'll have to shell out $75 to double the memory to 512 megabytes; $80 for Apple's Wi-Fi card; $50 for Bluetooth; and $70 each for a wireless keyboard and single-button mouse.
Only after it's fully accessorized — and unsightly cords have been replaced by wireless connections — does the iMac G5 fulfill its promise of an uncluttered, zippy 21st century computer object d'art.
And it's something to behold.
The entire unit, available with screen sizes of 17 or 20 inches, consists of a 2-inch thick display that's about 4 inches longer than the screen itself. An attached aluminum stand supports its weight and allows easy up-or-down maneuvering.
Surprisingly good speakers stream rich sound from the display's foot. Compact discs and DVDs load into a slot in the side. The display itself is bright and crystal-clear.
The power cord, the only cable that can't be replaced with wireless, snaps unobtrusively into the rear and is neatly obscured as it threads through a hole in the base.
Setup is as simple as it gets. Just plug it in and turn it on. After a few questions, the Mac OS X desktop appears, ready to launch included software ranging from Apple's own suite of music, video and photo programs to a trial version of Microsoft Corp.'s Office for Macs. There's also the standard Safari Internet browser, Apple's excellent e-mail program and Quicken for personal finance, among other software.
Once the iMac is set up, however, some users might notice a few gaps in the grand vision.
The included keyboard and mouse, for instance, must be plugged into a universal serial bus port on the back of the machine. Because there no built-in Wi-Fi capability, an Ethernet cable or telephone cord is required for Internet access.
Still more wires — all strung from the back of the unit — connect the computer to printers, music players (even an iPod) and any other cabled peripheral. So much for a clutter-free computer.
The solution, of course, is to have Apple add support for Bluetooth, a technology that connects devices wirelessly at short range. The peripherals also have to be Bluetooth-capable, of course. (Apple does offer a $99 kit, available only at the time of order, that includes built-in Bluetooth support as well as its wireless keyboard and mouse).
A wireless connection to the Internet is yet another purchase, though Apple's AirPort card doesn't have to be added at the factory. Installation is as easy as loosening three screws at the bottom of the iMac, lifting off the cover and popping in the card.
(continued in second post)
jwm
IMac G5
By MATTHEW FORDAHL
Associated Press
For six years, iMacs have set the standard for the PC industry with eye-popping designs, clever use of space and leaps in usability. Lately, though, Apple Computer Inc. seems to be making more waves with iPod music players than its venerable consumer PCs.
But fear not, Apple fans and design aficionados.
The iMac line whose debut machine looked like a giant egg, and that later morphed into something resembling a table lamp, now has a third generation. It looks sort of like an oversized iPod.
The iMac G5 is Apple's most streamlined and polished design yet, squeezing all the innards into a white plastic flat-panel display. It distances Apple even further from the bulk of Windows-based PC world, where variations of gray, beige and black are all too common.
Still, style alone does not a great computer make. Though Apple uses its most capable processor ever, it skimps on memory and other extras. Out of the box, a new iMac is an incomplete masterpiece.
You can finish the job, but it's going to cost you.
The default configurations range between $1,299 (U.S.) for an iMac with a 1.6 gigahertz processor and $1,899 for a 1.8 GHz system. To finish the job, you'll have to shell out $75 to double the memory to 512 megabytes; $80 for Apple's Wi-Fi card; $50 for Bluetooth; and $70 each for a wireless keyboard and single-button mouse.
Only after it's fully accessorized — and unsightly cords have been replaced by wireless connections — does the iMac G5 fulfill its promise of an uncluttered, zippy 21st century computer object d'art.
And it's something to behold.
The entire unit, available with screen sizes of 17 or 20 inches, consists of a 2-inch thick display that's about 4 inches longer than the screen itself. An attached aluminum stand supports its weight and allows easy up-or-down maneuvering.
Surprisingly good speakers stream rich sound from the display's foot. Compact discs and DVDs load into a slot in the side. The display itself is bright and crystal-clear.
The power cord, the only cable that can't be replaced with wireless, snaps unobtrusively into the rear and is neatly obscured as it threads through a hole in the base.
Setup is as simple as it gets. Just plug it in and turn it on. After a few questions, the Mac OS X desktop appears, ready to launch included software ranging from Apple's own suite of music, video and photo programs to a trial version of Microsoft Corp.'s Office for Macs. There's also the standard Safari Internet browser, Apple's excellent e-mail program and Quicken for personal finance, among other software.
Once the iMac is set up, however, some users might notice a few gaps in the grand vision.
The included keyboard and mouse, for instance, must be plugged into a universal serial bus port on the back of the machine. Because there no built-in Wi-Fi capability, an Ethernet cable or telephone cord is required for Internet access.
Still more wires — all strung from the back of the unit — connect the computer to printers, music players (even an iPod) and any other cabled peripheral. So much for a clutter-free computer.
The solution, of course, is to have Apple add support for Bluetooth, a technology that connects devices wirelessly at short range. The peripherals also have to be Bluetooth-capable, of course. (Apple does offer a $99 kit, available only at the time of order, that includes built-in Bluetooth support as well as its wireless keyboard and mouse).
A wireless connection to the Internet is yet another purchase, though Apple's AirPort card doesn't have to be added at the factory. Installation is as easy as loosening three screws at the bottom of the iMac, lifting off the cover and popping in the card.
(continued in second post)
