Fujitsu's F-A50 all-in-one escapes a terrible, terrible heritage

Hey, it's still not the most svelte of all-in-one PCs, but given its predecessors we'll really take whatever we can get. The Fujitsu F-A50 rocks a 16:9 16-inch display running at 1366 x 768, with a base that allows for adjustable height and angles for the PC. Unfortunately, 16:9 is about as wild as things get around here, with Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, Intel GM965 integrated graphics and so forth. WiFi is built-in, which is always nice to see on a desktop PC, and there's even a PC card slot for expansion. The whole shebang weighs in at 12 pounds, and goes on sale in Japan on May 17th for around $1,300.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

[wlp @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:12AM]

Stating the obvious i know but...

old iMac anyone???

[Darkroom @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:30AM]

that's iMac's single, fat, and ugly younger cousin.

[Joe @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:43AM]

...and more expensive for less peformance.

[fred @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:19AM]

The design is fine. All of the cliched B.S. from the Appleholics seem to illustrate a total ignorance of design that they all like to pretend that they have. And on cue all of the cliches like "clunky" and "fake" are being tossed. about.

It's white and it all in one. In their twisted mind, Apple patented those aspects, and anyone else that does a unique take on white and chrome are just hacks and their product must be ridiculed, which is funny because these same people have chided PC makers for years not trying new and unique designs like Apple, but when they do, then they attack the designs!

[harveylubin @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:24PM]

Fred writes:
"It's white and it all in one. In their twisted mind, Apple patented those aspects, and anyone else that does a unique take on white and chrome are just hacks and their product must be ridiculed, which is funny because these same people have chided PC makers for years not trying new and unique designs like Apple, but when they do, then they attack the designs!"

Fred, are you so deluded that you consider this design "unique". You really need to acquaint yourself with the design of the original G5 iMac from 4 years ago. (Go ahead, I'll wait while you Google it.).

The front view of this Fujitsu computer is an almost exact replica (i.e. copy) of the G5 iMac.

The point people are making here is not that people are opposed to PC manufacturers coming up with great, original designs. Competition in this area is always welcome. It's just that this Fujitsu computer is neither "unique" nor original. It is a blatant copy of the 4 year old G5 iMac design.

[fred @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:32PM]

"Fred, are you so deluded that you consider this design "unique". You really need to acquaint yourself with the design of the original G5 iMac from 4 years ago. (Go ahead, I'll wait while you Google it.)."

Is it the EXACT same design down to the detail? No it is not. No more than flat panel display A is the same as panel B. both are rectangles on stands with control buttons. little style differences make them separate from each other.

This design is unique. It uses a totally different stand design, different layout of ports, even built in Wi-Fi. However it is white, and all in one, so it is an "exact replica" as denoted by the low standards in the tech blog world today. If you want to say anything then say its a take on a design originated by Apple, like the iPhone is a take on a design originated by Prada.

A difficult concept to grasp in todays tech world, where if it isnt 10000% new, then it is grounds for annihilation.

"The front view of this Fujitsu computer is an almost exact replica (i.e. copy) of the G5 iMac."

It's a flat panel display?! And looking at both pictures, there is nothing exact about the designs. Both have a "chin" at the bottom. One is slightly broader than the other. OK, call the patent office. /sarcasm.

"The point people are making here is not that people are opposed to PC manufacturers coming up with great, original designs. Competition in this area is always welcome. It's just that this Fujitsu computer is neither "unique" nor original. It is a blatant copy of the 4 year old G5 iMac design."

It's white and one piece. Take it to patent court and see how far you get.

some people here don't care about "unique" designs, It's unique designs from Apple only. Gateway One? Dell XPS. Remember the attacks on those computers? Both called iMac ripoffs. Did they look like the iMac? According to similar people as on this thread, the fact that they were All-in-One was all that was needed.

[kale @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:45PM]

@ Fred,

The problem isn't copyright infringement or patent issues. It's just tacky. It looks like the iMac. The problem isn't that white and all-in-one are patented, cause like you said, that's ridiculous. The problem is that they could do something new to the design. Add a distinctive feature. Do to the all in one what dell did to laptops. Add features and little things like lighted fans etc. to make your mark on it. Point is, design something different, not something that has been done before.

[harveylubin @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:49PM]

Fred, Fred, Fred... You're like an Egyptian crocodile... living in de Nile.

So it's useless trying to convince you of the obvious. But you really should be a bit more aware of the iMac before you tell everyone how different this Fujitsu is.

You wrote:
"This design is unique. It uses a totally different stand design, different layout of ports, even built in Wi-Fi."

Yes, the stand is different, and the ports may have a different layout. Are these major design differences... No!

And as for "even built in Wi-Fi." (as if this was some sort of breakthrough), this shows how uninformed you are.

I guess you're not aware that all Apple computers (including the iMac) have had built in Wi-F for many years now. In fact, Apple was one of the first computer companies to include built in Wi-Fi, to use a mouse, to use built-in CD and DVD drives, to use 3.5 floppy disks instead of 5.25 floppies, to stop using 3.5 floppy disks (the 1997 iMac), etc.

So in the future please get a little bit of knowledge about a topic before you start debating it.

[Saad Rabia @ Apr 22nd 2008 6:08PM]

Fred, dude, ease up a notch.

Hear it from a Microsoft user, this Fujitsu design is stupid because:

1. Looks like a G5 iMac; not like a DELL XPS One, nor like a Gateway One, but like a G5 iMac. This is a fact, I bit when you also looked at that picture, an Apple block hit your eye sight, just like what happened to me. I hate it and I wish they could buy one of the million sexy designs floating in the internet, are you reading this PC Companies: BUY A F*ing DESIGN FROM THE MANY ARTISTS ON THE INTERNET!

2. 16 inch for a display? 16 inch? 16?!!!?!?!? OMFG. Is their target ant city in the coco land? And look at how thick is that thing!!

3. They didn't only copy an iMac, but they also did a bad job in the finish, look at that stupid DVD Drive slot! Dell and Gateway and Apple did it right in their latest designs, but Fujitsu had to ruin the white finish by adding a slot hole that can fit a cheese burger in it!

4. For that stupid price, they aren't competing, instead they are trying to look like a stupid company that wants you to believe that their design is unique and creative. They are playing a smart game at an extremely wrong time.

5. It isn't a point of patent conflict, it is more of moral and a little bit of sense. I mean for the love of god, after the product designers at Fujitsu sat together for probably months, they decide that this is the best design to mass produce??! Don't they have "any freakin internet left"? don't they know that their product will be compared to Apple's, if it looked like an Apple product?!

Fred, when people disagree with you it isn't hate, it is more of an opinion based on a simple, other, deferent perspective; and from my perspective, this product right here is a huge annoyances and disappointment for me, and MANY OTHERS.

[crimson400 @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:13AM]

They really shouldn't clone a 4 year old iMac design...

Kinda clunky too!

[Raptor007 @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:52PM]

Hey, at least it's better than that ugly thing thing they pushed out in 2006...

[kadajawi @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:14AM]

Yeah, it's a bit iMacish (the one that is actually pretty, not the newest one), but that ain't a bad thing. Really, doesn't look bad, but the price isn't really competitive, I guess. Why buy this thing if you can get an iMac?

[roole @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:21AM]

Because you can! And, just to spite Apple.....
:-)

[Ben Grimsbo @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:01PM]

So you buy a trashy competitor's product, just to spite another company?

And you people talk about Apple fans drinking the Kool-Aid...

[THJ @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:16AM]

The metal stand looks similar to my paper towel dispenser.

[happy_penguin @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:18PM]

OMG... I didn't notice that. Looks kinda like mine too except mine is brushed metal.

[LondonConsultant @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:29AM]

Is the stand heated? It could be useful for drying towels.

[giuliop @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:36PM]

I guess the computer heats it.

[Joseph @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:29AM]

This should have received a Keeping it Real Fake number.

[Hotrod @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:41AM]

For real.

[joe23521 @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:42AM]

It would have, if it was a Chinese brand. Fair journalism.

[Ayle @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:44AM]

What the hell is that?

[Saad Rabia @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:50AM]

This really pisses me off! I mean seriously, Why do product designers of these companies keep copying a MAC style when there are actually hundreds of creative product designers that come up with styles of wonder all over the the internet?!

It sometimes feel like if Apple pays for these guys to copy MACs or just bring out boring stupid designs! I have seen hundreds of well thought designs on the internet from people that "love" product design, and if I was a guy with $20 million+ I would hire them and pay them good money to work in a company that can produce products that are nice, useful and creative.

Why is it hard for DELL, LG, SAMSUNG, Fujitsu, and all the others to understand that you can be "f**king" daring with your designs, people are accepting it. It isn't 1994 where computers are hardly just tools; it's 2008, tools MUST BE NICE AND UNIQUE.

Any company can be an Apple and better if only their CEOs get the F out of their stupid mind set, and start thinking clean.

Please don't get me wrong, but it is really mind blowing when you see a copy of an old MAC product being mass produced with "stupid pride"!

[Eric @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:18AM]

You will never see other companies doing what Apple does. The problem is that Apple is an anomaly. They have Steve Jobs at the head, where profit is not the only motive, and who will sacrifice some profit to make something better.

The penny wise pound foolish argument. As long as spreadsheet jockeys decide how computers are designed, and committees make decisions, you will never, ever see another company match Apple for design and functionality. It's in their DNA. And what's not in the DNA of corporate America - and what lacks in business schools - is an understanding of that simple principle.

BTW, you'd need a lot more than $20 million to compete with Apple. :-D

[fred @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:19AM]

"This really pisses me off! I mean seriously,"
Then you need to get a grip.

"Why is it hard for DELL, LG, SAMSUNG, Fujitsu, and all the others to understand that you can be "f**king" daring with your designs, people are accepting it. It isn't 1994 where computers are hardly just tools; it's 2008, tools MUST BE NICE AND UNIQUE."

Like I said in another post. It doesn't matter what designers do, Apple fanatics are so arrogant that they see some phantom copy of apple EVERYWHERE.

Shiny edge = APPLE COPY!!!!

White = APPLE COPY!!!

All in one = APPLE COPY!!!

Thin = APPLE COPY!!!

Never mind the fact that Apple didnt invent any of these thing, their fanatical users are so dense that they assume that they did, and anyone that uses a similar design feature is a crook that needs to be put out of business.

"Any company can be an Apple and better if only their CEOs get the F out of their stupid mind set, and start thinking clean."

And Apple users will be there to claim that that was a copy from Apple too.

"Please don't get me wrong, but it is really mind blowing when you see a copy of an old MAC product being mass produced with "stupid pride"!"

It's white and on a stand. It has to be a copy of Apple. It's just gotta!

It's not these companies mass producing products with "stupid pride", it's Apple users mass producing vapid groupthink with the same vigor.

[Stranger @ Apr 24th 2008 3:17AM]

The problem is that Apple is being treated differently from the rest of the players. Whatever they do is being blowed up to silly proportions. But the truth is that the industry can only afford a few players like that. Alienware is another company which create strong feelings. Their design is bold, the performance is extreme. And so is the price.

But picture if everyone behaved like Apple with secret roadmaps, closed systems etc. The analogy that comes to mind is that of doves and hawks. Apple is being able to play the hawk part because most other large players behave as doves and cooperate.

Reference to doves and hawks for those that doesn't know.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/game-evolutionary/

[happy_penguin @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:05PM]

"It isn't 1994 where computers are hardly just tools; it's 2008, tools MUST BE NICE AND UNIQUE."

That's a really good point. I wonder if they truly believe that Apple has the market cornered on such designs? Competition is good. Give people choices and everyone benefits.

If they wanted to copy the iMac they could have done a better job. I like the smaller "chin" up front but the foot and the rest are just unattractive to me. But, why not do something that's truly different instead of an obvious copy?

[Chris @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:32PM]

Fred, the funny thing is that you are including everyone here that thinks this looks like an iMac copy and bunching them all together as Apple fanatics. You've given special attention to Saad Rabia, who, if you had been paying attention to his posts in the past you would realize he is not an Apple fan at all. Nice work!

[giuliop @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:38PM]

"They have Steve Jobs at the head, where profit is not the only motive, and who will sacrifice some profit to make something better."

It's the other way around: he will make something better to make more profit.

[giuliop @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:48PM]

"Shiny edge = APPLE COPY!!!!
White = APPLE COPY!!!
All in one = APPLE COPY!!!
Thin = APPLE COPY!!!"

I'm no Apple fanboy, but c'mon, what does this all-in-one remind you?
A Dell XPS One? A Gateway One?

The similarity between this and an iMac is obvious, and if you can't see it you are negating reality.

[Ignatius @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:49PM]

Profit.. is not the only motive?

Then why does a simple computer from Apple cost like $1500 baseline?

No, not looking for profit here, folks...

[Saad Rabia @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:00PM]

@ Eric: I know what you mean about the DNA, but we have to remember that the word "DNA" is only used as a description for companies that do it right; and doing things right is really simple when you have the right minds and creative thoughts all in one place. I will never say that Apple is the best company in the world, but what they are doing every year is simply "unique" weather it was their designs or marketing strategies or even their prices and patented ideas. Also, with $20 million I can definitely "start" a product company, but all I need in order to compete with Apple is creative, clean brains all in one place, with me.

@ Fred: as Chris said, if you do follow my posts and comments you can clearly see how I criticizes Apple to the bone and sometimes support Microsoft and others to extreme levels, this of course is all out of my love for these companies, but my center point in this post is the fact that Apple does it right all the "freakin" time, they do it so good that I, as a Microsoft user, get smacked in the head with every product they bring out, it's like if I'm holding the wrong flag in a useless war! What Fujitsu did with this PC is that they "copied and ruined" an old design by "some company", but what Apple does is to "copy and enhance" an old design by "some company", you see the deference there? We are always going to compare products to each other, but what makes a product a "good one" is the fact that they show you "evolving" in the designs, strategies and future plans, and I'm 100% sure that I haven't such steps taken by a PC company other than Apple. Remember Fred, I ain't an Apple fan boy.

@ happy_penguin: You know what is the only problem in this design? That designs like these are appealing for 0.002% of the PC users around the world! This is the truth, and I'm not trying to prove my self right as much as to give my opinion if I was in the place of a regular PC user. The logical part of my brain say: No Apple, but my soul keeps asking for more Apple designs. As I said, it is 2008 right now, functionality and hardware goodness has become so common that the only thing that differentiates "quality" between known PC developers is the art factor, AKA Design. All the companies that I hear about in the PC world are using the same chips and same hardware most of the time, processors are cheap and affordable by even small companies. If we were living in 1994 we would be looking at the company that provides best chips for less money, because each company developed hardware under a division in their buildings, but now, the only thing being developed in a company is plans, designs, and marketing. Apple is nailing it, and they kind of understand what the world wants these days, other companies are ruining their chances and sticking to plans that were written for the old century, Apple 2008 = Microsoft 1988.

People, you should really understand that everybody around this world are welling heart and mind to pay $500 more than a comparable device if: 1. It functions right, 2. Looks sweet, and 3. Gives more every year. Call it a screwed up world, but we got to live in it.

[McHoffa @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:57AM]

And people say macs are expensive? For $200 less I can get an iMac with a 20 inch screen, ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT video card and not to mention OS X... and it looks better than this too...

[Tim @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:04AM]

just a small grievance, engadget: While I aspire to be the uber-gadget freak Paul Miller is, I'm not there yet. I would appreciate if instead of chip numbers (Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, Intel GM965 Video Card) you gave us cpu speed and video memory, not to mention the omitted RAM and HDD specs. I know I could look it up pretty easily myself, but it wouldn't hurt. Just sayin' . . .

[Superevil @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:22AM]

1,300? Dollars? You're serious?

[Zachary Katz @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:43AM]

It looks like you could disassemble it and use it to pleasure a woman...

Overall, quite ugly.

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:16PM]

The sooner you quit fantasizing about shoving computer components into a woman's genitalia, the sooner they will stop avoiding you at all costs.

[Fara @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:38AM]

That's lighyears better than the old fujitsu desgins. Those were terribly hideous, Made your momma cry.

And yo all you who exclaim over price: it's not sold in america, That's cheaper than the imac goes for in japan, which is $1568 USD.

[happy_penguin @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:11PM]

"Shiny edge = APPLE COPY!!!!

White = APPLE COPY!!!

All in one = APPLE COPY!!!

Thin = APPLE COPY!!!"

Any one of these things, probably not a "copy" but when you put it all together it's obvious. But computer companies copy each other. That's what they do and they've been doing it for years. Hardly any of them have "invented" anything in years. It's all been collaborative.

[Magallanes @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:03PM]

It's a copy since Apple patented White(tm) together with Aqua Blue(Tm).

[Franco @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:24PM]

This is for japan. People homes are not that big, they are very small so a computer in japan does double duty. A TV and computer but consider that most japanese get their info from a cellphone.

[hotwings1 @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:36PM]

We could be looking at another one of those Apple Lawsuits here folks! As well as some patent infringement from all those towel rack manufacturers.

[Matt @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:46PM]

Reading this article I was actually feeling pretty positive about the design. Sure the specs aren't anything great, but not everyone needs a 20" screen and a dedicated GPU in their PC.

Then I got to the price...

Seriously, what are they thinking here? $1300 for this is outrageous.

[kal326 @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:49PM]

Great, they made a white Gateway Profile 4.

[adrian @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:06PM]

Why are Fujitsu even bothering to make computers, When they look like this.

[John @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:22PM]

If it was black people would think of it as an XPS copy.

But yeah, pretty soon if its a touch or multi-touch interface it will be an apple copy.

There are some people who actually believe that everything apple produces they did it first.

[Darren @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:41PM]

What's an XPS?

[Magallanes @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:59PM]

dell xps

[Jose @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:00PM]

The previous generation's iMac's Prototype bought by from Apple by Fujitsu = ="

[Jose @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:00PM]

The previous generation's iMac's Prototype bought from Apple by Fujitsu = ="