Apple's new iMac and keyboard: first hands-on
By Ryan Block 
posted August 7th 2007 2:45PM
posted August 7th 2007 2:45PM
posted August 7th 2007 2:45PM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
I'm not a fan of the mandatory glare, less functional wireless keyboard, and no update to the mouse.
Also, sucky graphics card options. This is Apple's approach on gaming? Read the reviews for the 2400 XT and 2600 PRO. There is a $20 difference in the cards, yet apple charges $300 more for the updated graphics card, 70gb more space, and .4ghz faster processor.
But what I was actually wondering... if I purchase the new iMac or Mac Mini, will I get a free upgrade to Leopard? If the answers no, then I would DEFINITELY wait for Leopard preinstalled.
Yeah, cuz thats what people buy macs for. Gaming. tard
Don't you remember the last conference that was all about gaming for Macs? Maybe not, but please before you call someone a "tard" do some research.
"70gb more space, and .4ghz faster processor"
Well, just check the price difference between the processors and the HD and you'll get a lot closer.
JR: An iMac is basically an entry level Mac. Ever hear of a Mac Pro?? Try one with NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 and see if you can still whine you n00b.
Can't wait to order a last generation white iMac. Its nice, but I'm not digging this one as much as the white iMacs... and I HATE HATE HATE glossy screens.
Jeff
Who smacked an iMac with the ugly stick? :o
OMG! the picture with that glare is HORRIBLE!!
shame on you, apple.
Seriously WTF IS WITH THE FUNCTION KEY! that is where control is supposed to be. If I ever find the guy what decided that it would be ok to me CTRL I am going to beat him/her senseless with with a keyboard. (not just an apple problem, gateway does it and I think toshiba does it)
I tell you why I would never buy this desktop - because it is in fact a laptop. While Apple may market iMac as a desktop computer, it's internal hardware is comprised entirely of laptop components. So no matter how stylish this system may be it will never deliver desktop-class performance. If you want a REAL desktop system get a Mac Pro.
Otherwise a MacBook Pro would actually be a better choice simply because of its portability.
Not entirely true:
As the case of the iMac is larger than the likes of the MBP, Apple can fit better cooling systems (my iMac rarely goes above 20C ambient, try that with an Apple notebook); bigger, faster (7200 rpm standard rather than optional as in the MBP) hard drives, bigger displays (every iMac display is now larger than any Apple notebook's); etc..
I will admit, however, that many of the parts are notebook-spec. But ultimately the iMac ≠ a notebook.
nonumeric keypad, so many shortcuts in music apps need it(all locators, play, stop etc)
Just one question:
Does the Apple Remote (for front row/media) still stick magnetically onto the side, as it did on the previous gen? I ask because I haven't seen it in any of the pictures.
Apple's design team take a sabbatical after the iPhone or something? Anyone want to take bets on what's to come?! Come on, I was expecting a version of the Macbook Pro here.... Guess I won't be getting a desktop this year
why can't PCs be this beautiful (and cheap)?
That screen looks like it has built in DRM.
Try to look at it from any angle other than straight on, and you just see your reflection. No longer shall media be shared over the air!
What's with the ATI video cards?! I'm only a fan of nVidia!!! >:(
I guess this is what the future looks like in Star Trek land
I have no idea why you guys are whining about the chin.
Ever thought how big a PC is, and with those specs, cramming it into what you call "a slightly thicker LCD screen" is already something almost impossible. The closest I've seen is Sonys L series.
If the chin is gone, it may be thicker. But the whining continues.
It's like trying to pour 2 cups of water into 1.
I agree the black border is fugly. Can't judge 100% until I actually see it though....maybe it's easy on the eyes.
Besides, it's still a 20 inch screen. I hate black borders when they look like they are wasting valuable would-be screen real estate (I'm looking at you, Nintendo!), but with a screen that's already pretty darn big by default, it bothers me much less. It's also less of a problem here because the black border has not been used to host logos (again, fond memories of pre-DS Nintendo).
I see the sense in it, anyway, from a contrast standpoint. The image on that screen would look dull right against the lighter colour.
Thus, with a big, crisp image and a solid border to back it up, it is one smooth looking, fashionable mirror against which anyone will look good -- err, iMac.
I think it may be hard for the black borders to become the screen (enlarged from current)because it's just so thin around the borders. If the screen is so big, a lot of construction is needed to really keep it stable.
it's a pretty good way to camo the iSight cam actually...(again, referenced from the images).
anyways my opinion may change when I see it in front of me.
The foot is still as ugly as ever and the black screen surround is not an improvement.
I run a design company and we are all PC based. We have a single mac that collects a lot of dust.
Quite frankly, every major tool for design exists on PC and Mac, and strong equivalents when it comes to the few that don't match up (like final cut).
We chose to go PC because we found that the hardware is much cheaper to keep upgraded. Faster computers = faster artists, and that makes us all happy. In addition, over time we found that we were spending less on software. We can often find sales on PC software where we never found such on the mac. Extreme cases where Microsoft gave away Office 2007 if you bothered to watch 4 videos a few months ago.
Macs are cool looking computers, but they are NOT the industry standard in design. In fact, they are just a platform that holds software tools, of which many are industry standard AND multi-platform.
Your wife is good to go.
I'm surprised there was no word about are favorite electronic rodent. With the recent slew of touch screen and a few mouse patents i figured there would be news of a new touch mouse, The lil ball in the mighty mouse gives out after about a year.So its damn time for un upgrade. Everyone griping about the black around the glass just hold on to your panties i bet an all black version is in the cards, if not I'm sure Coloware will be offering up paint jobs soon.
nice
I think I would have extended the black border to cover the "chin". And instead of a big aluminum "chin" I would have left just the thin border of aluminum. It would have make it look like a video player window.Thin aluminum border and a black surface.The eye doesn't like to see the big portion of blue(in the case of the picture above) separated from the gray portion by a wide black strip.
I see the screen, but where's the computer?
Being serious now, I'm no mac fan but I'm digging on the look. The whole thing reminds me of an original Macintosh (Ok, so I had one of them) and it has a sense of balance.
What I don't like is brushed aluminium. It's the new beige and it's getting as boring as hell. Give me polished piano black any day.
Also, has anyone noticed that the photo with the keyboard closeup with a power button isn't the same keyboard as in the rest of the photos? Whats up with that?
The new Imacs are Great, real nice, they should of done something different, it just has a new face, but is there really anything else you can do to it... one thing that i did want to see was head phone jacks on the keyboard....
um, the 'Jay Leno chin' is for the much-needed post-it-noteology, just when you think that modernism is all sex that doesn't function. Actually , it is more likely that the engineers couldn't make the chin smaller and the designers could excuse them graciously by including the 'post-it' space as a welcomed design justification. I'm sure it was a breakthrough in prototyping, but apple loves you to find those conveniences un-announced, while using them. Remember, there is also a fan and power supply in there to cool the bastard down.
I am so glad many people are saying they dont like the new design, I was super excited about it, but this is a big let down.
People justify the black border, but TBH, TV manufacturers do that to make the screen look bigger. high end TV's boast that they have a tiny bezel around the screen. so boyah's about that are mute points.
IMO, it looks like they are half way towards redesigning it, the keyboard's alu and white plastic keys look weird. I am glad I got a 20" imac before the redesign, (with a ¥70,000 discount).
Would like the new MB and GPU though.
So what did Apple, and Apple stores do with the old Imacs, can i get them at a cheaper price?? or did they sell the last one on august the 6th??????????
They list refurbished and clearance deals on the apple store online.
WTF.
Engadget comments are CRAP. End up replying to random people. That was supposed to be a reply to 'Steve Jobs' comment.
And that reply landed in the wrong place too.
LAME.
Well im fairly confident that this keyboard is a winner. Apple rarely make mistakes like the puck mouse anymore.
One other benefit of this keyboard design is that you wont get lots of dust and crap stuck down there after a couple of months use.
Is it backlit?? If it isnt then thats a shame. I always get caught working late as the light levels drop and start struggling to see the keys. Mainly due to my cack black pro keyboard. But if the key details were backlit they would have less of a problem long term in the letters dirtying up and becoming less clear.
Backlight on a desktop keyboard. Have you ever heard of this crazy invention made about a century ago called the lightbulb. You turn this ****er on and bam, there is light. Laptops need backlighting because they can be anywhere AKA places without light. Go buy a 5 dollar lamp at target.
ooo your clever arent you. i hadnt ever thought of that mr clever.
your like the guy who used to say whats the point of backlit keys on a laptop when your screen lights the area up!
the point is when light levels are low and your staring at a bright screen and then your eyes move to look at a dark keyboard you cant see the keys coz of mild night blindness.
hence backlit keyboards for laptops. but the same is true for desktops.
my friggin point is that if your working away as daylight falls and you dont want to stop to turn your fuckin lamp on then an ambient light sensor backlit keyboard would be nice. its got power runnin through it anyways so why not light it up.
The 24" is big and bright enough that you don't NEED a lamp OR backlit keys. It will light the damn room on its own.
It's a great computer... I love it.
dont worry it is super reflective to bounce laser weapons back at the shooter
Got one of the latest G5 iMacs (iSight) and I think that "Leno chin" is actually quite usefull even if not too beautiful... Useful because it lets me put my hand on it to oppose some pression when I'm plugging anything in the back of my computer or when I'm pressing the "on/off" switch. If it wasn't there, I'd have to press my greasy fat hand over the screen everytime I plugged in an instrument or other peripheral...
u did not get your hands on one - u are in a mac shop LOL u cheap skate
It's the wireless version, that sports Bluetooth.
If there's one thing I LOVE... it's a big screen with a highly reflective finish. I'd much rather see myself and what's behind me than what's on the screen. Kudos MAC! More design brilliance!
It is really a good products, but i think if use with a cool Keyboard cover will be much better to protect your Imac, go to here to chose the best Skin to protect your keyboard: http://www.cool-sale.com/index.php?gOo=goods_search_list.dwt&gcat=58>ype=