iMac (early 2009) unboxing and hands-on
By Nilay Patel 
posted Mar 4th 2009 11:40AM
posted Mar 4th 2009 11:40AM
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I thought they would come out with different colors or something..or at least make that apple logo have a sensor to turn on the computer, similar to the old g4 cubes..guess its too early for bluray drives as well..
Too early?
BD will arrive with the Apple netbook...
/s
Apple isn't impressed with Blueray if I remember correctly. I think that was Steves answer when asked in the little Q&A that they did at the end of one of the keynotes last year.
@ADAM - "big bag of hurt" in regards to licensing. Blu-ray announced they are working on a single licensing method which should making licensing a whole lot easier. Hopefully then we'll see blu-ray drives in Macs finally -- at least player support. As it stands right now, you have to licensing with each one of the blu-ray companies.
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2437 for more info.
> "Apple isn't impressed with Blueray if I remember correctly."
Well... Apple is missing the boat. The could charge whatever they want for a Blu-Ray burner. Instead, people are forced to buy an external Blu-Ray burner from another manufacturer.
Some people want to burn an HD disc for viewing on their HDTV. You know all those HD camcorders that are EVERYWHERE today? What are you gonna do with all that footage? YoutubeHD? Riiight.
The push today is HD. HDTVs are everywhere. HD camcorders are everywhere. There is a disc format that supports HD. There are people with Blu-Ray players and PS3s. Why can't Apple see this?
I know Apple doesn't want to "support" Blu-Ray because they wanna sell DRMed movies on iTunes. But, for a computer that is marketed as a great way to edit home movies... they don't get it. A lot of people have HD camcorders... do they really wanna dump it to a plain ol' DVD?
I personally am not ready for HD... I just bought a Panasonic DVX100B... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/406855-REG/Panasonic_AGDVX100B_Panasonic_AG_DVX100B_3CCD_24p.html
I will be shooting standard definition video for my business for the foreseeable future. But, for consumers... HD camcorders are here.
It's almost as if I'm at Apple.com when at engadget.
Wait, isn't this the Apple website?! This is weired!
Hi, there's this thing called "don't click on the story and then take the time to comment on it when clearly you don't want to read about it because it makes you look like a massive hypocrite."
It's just like TV, if you don't like what's on, don't watch it. Not sure why that's such a difficult concept to comprehend for you e-tards. Oh but don't let that stop you from commenting, since the number of views and comments on a given story is what determines its popularity, and therefore the frequency of related articles that appear on Engadget. Thanks for making Apple related stories more popular!
If you haven't realized it yet, Engadget and Gizmodo post these stories to attract you flaming anti-Apple zealots to their websites. Stop clicking on them and posting comments in them and maybe you'll see less.
Attention dorks: you can relax, I actually like Apple
Apple makes some pretty nice stuff so it makes sense to cover it
What I don't understand is why engadget buys a new mac and shows the unboxing everytime there's a minor revision
It's almost as if I'm at AnnoyingAppleHatingTrolls.com when I'm reading the comments section on Engadget.
Not interested in Apple stories? Fine. Bugger off and don't read them. Stop clogging my tubes with your noise.
This comments board has become a complete joke in recent months.
@Quix
I enjoy the comments. I read more of them than I do articles.
Zak, Mystic, Quix and all the other tards wondering what our point is: our problem is not Apple, not its products, not the articles, not even the Apple fanboys, but what really annoys us is how Engadget buys, shoots and reviews Apple products like if they were the official Apple guide on the internet, yet, after all that, they fail to review other more important released gadgets.
For example, when the Dell Studio Hybrid came out, they just linked us to other websites instead of buying one and reviewing it just like they review Apple's products; I honestly come to this website to read news and reviews, I love how they review gadgets, but I don't understand how they just ignore those other gadgets. We aren't asking for a lot, it's just if they buy and review every Apple product after each and every stupid minor upgrade, then I don't see where the problem is for them to buy the Dell Hybrid and review it Engadget style!
I don't mind reading Apple news, I actually love to keep myself updated, but when Apple adds some stupid upgrade to their line and Engadget reviews that stuff the next day, I really get annoyed not to see new (critically interesting) products from other big companies not being reviewed. Also I don't want to start with Engadget's tone when writing an Apple related product; they always put some strong big nice words in the right context, yet if it was another company they would write stuff like "Dell Studio Hybrid gets reviewed, does alright"!! You'll never see the words "does alright" put in an Apple article in that context whatsoever.
Also Zak, please shut up, please.
Saad, why should I shut up when your comments are always so brainless? I mean honestly, you're doing it to yourself. Say things that are not stupid, and I won't reply to you as often.
As far as your "complaints", I looked and there are a total of three Apple related posts on the front page right now. Every other post is not Apple related, and a number of them do actually review some cool products. So are you blind or something? Do you have selective vision, and only see the Apple related stories and nothing else? Your bitching is completely meritless. You are a well established Microsoft fanboy (oh yes, I remember your tearful farewell to Bill Gates, could you suck his dick any harder?), and you obviously have a problem seeing anything other than Apple stories on Engadget.
And then of course you comment on them to voice your displeasure. Hypocrite much? In conclusion, pull your head out of your ass and look around once in a while.
I totally agree with you Saad. Also, Engadget knows how the visitors of the site would react to an 'Apple praising' or 'Microsoft bashing' story. This would flood comments on the site...more 'monies' for Engadget.
Also, they probably don't have to 'buy' Apple stuff, it's provided to them by Apple free of charge for reviewing, popularizing and praising their stuff...marketing strategy. Whats a $1500 or $2000 iMac for Apple when they know this website can (or rather will) bring millions to them.
Saad wins.
Also....I am predicting another story here very soon that tells us how Windows 7 runs on this (seeing as how they only install it on apple hardware).
I could not agree more. It would be nice to see some variation on engadgets website once in awhile. Also I have been reading this whole thread and ZAK please shut up. Your a loud wind bag. Your extremely bias and really annoying to listen to. We get the point! You love apple and want to mate with them. So play go with you and your apple alone in your room and stop flooding this board with your violent protest for about how much you wanna scr*w apple in the A** ok. Thanks.
You want variation on Endgadget, and then fail to notice that the vast, VAST majority of stories on Engadget are not Apple-related at all. Do you see where the problem is here? I'll give you a hint, Engadget is not the problem.
Hawtkouture, you are welcome at any time to come up with a counter-argument for anything I've said. Since all you appear to be able to do is call me names and butcher the English language with your horrible spelling and grammar, you're not really worth my time, are you?
LOL butcher the English language? Ok so I noticed I made one grammar error in my last post. Lets not get into the childish you cannot spell you cannot write low blows. Little kids throw stones like that not ADULTS. Stop balling and acting like a little brat who is throwing his arms down cause he is not getting his way. What are you like 14 years old. Does your daddy wipe your a** to? Honestly only reason I even responded to you is because your so ridiculous and you have been rampaging this thread like a little jerk who needs to go get his rocks off. So take a break use your left hand and come back when your not in a shi**y mood OK. Also for the record this is a thread and I write in what I call thread slang. Most people do. We don't get on here to write novels that we are turning into are professor so we can have them graded by the likes of your. Nor do I care what you think about how I choose to write on some websites thread. I also am not going to get into what degree or job I may hold cause I refuse to lower myself to fight with a wacky character like yourself. Your just a hateful mean person who like I said has a huge boner for APPLE. Nough said! YEAH THAT RIGHTS I SAID NOUGH! Get over it! Have a nice day ZAK and go freak out somewhere else OK.
I could not agree more. It would be nice to see some variation on engadgets website once in awhile. Also I have been reading this whole thread and ZAK please shut up. Your a loud wind bag. Your extremely bias and really annoying to listen to. We get the point! You love apple and want to mate with them. So go play with you and your apple alone in your room and stop flooding this board with your violent protest about how much you wanna scr*w apple in the A** ok. Thanks.
HERE IS AN THE NEW VERSION FOR YOU MM K :)
Zak, your reply to my comment was one of the most ignorant replies I've ever got in the last 5 years; it's like you didn't even read my first sentence. Holly god!
You should be ashamed of yourself young boy.
Also, go die.
"This is weired!" - Saad Rabia
BTW Saad, OS X offers system-wide built-in spell checking. A Mac might do you good (if you can put down the haterade for one moment...).
Nah, didn't think so.
@ Saad, if you find Apple coverage on Engadget overwhelming, DON'T READ THE APPLE ARTICLES. Seriously man, it's not that hard to understand. Use your personal freedom of choice and DON'T CLICK THE APPLE STORIES. And please, for the love of all that's holy, QUIT TELLING THE REST OF US HOW MUCH YOU DON'T LIKE TO READ THE APPLE STORIES. WE DON'T CARE. I will spell this out phonetically if it will help you out.
Engadget is a tech blog. They report tech news. And maybe new iMacs happens to be the most exciting tech news of the day, or at that particular moment of the day (whether it is exciting or not). It's not like Dell is churning out a bunch of newsworthy stuff. And if they did, I wouldn't read the stories because I have no interest in Dell. And I certainly wouldn't spend my life griping about how much coverage Dell gets on Engadget. You grow tiresome.
I wish the Apple hating trolls would just shut their ever-spewing holes and save their "commentary" for the posts they actually *are* interested in, like Windows virus alerts or new skins that make Windows Mobile look slightly less sucky. :P
Now Saad, perhaps you can "go die" (as you so politely stated) with Zak?
Thank you.
Quix FTW
I have to write some metal arc welding reports, as well as finish testing some assemblies in nastran and solve a bunch of mechanics of materials problems, all before midnight; and until a moment ago I was insanely stressed out- Thank you guys, your flame war made my day :)
By the way...I think that keyboard is a joke too.
Saad loses, actually - their central argument (that Engadget goes more in-depth on Apple gear than other companies) is proven wrong daily - for instance, they could have noticed the many ASUS articles from yesterday. But hey, why let the facts interfere with your Apple-hate, hey?
No numeric keypad = no doing taxes on this bad boy.
Having trouble reading? The numeric keyboard is a FREE option if you want it.
I wonder if the "option" is so they can flag your purchase as CTO and refuse to accept a return. *PARANOID*
Apple should revise their site and make the keyboard that includes the numeric keyset the default option.
@ weedy:
Having trouble reading? They asked for comments on the new keyboard.
They're probably trying to save money by reusing their laptop keyboard.
I think they should put a number-pad on the wireless keyboard, but Apple won't listen; they don't care about consumers.
Yeah they only care about photoshoppers, developers, artists, etc..
I hear you, but I know they care about profits!
Make a wireless keyboard that has a keypad and I'll buy it tomorrow. I hate wires the way Apple hates buttons!
joseph le brech, are you being sarcastic? I constantly enter numeric data into "creative" apps and dislike the absence of the numeric keyset.
@ Willis:
The previous version of the apple wireless keyboard has a number pad, you can probably find one on eBay. I still use mine as a remote when I hook my iMac to the TV.
I would still prefer the Vaio LV series, which is loaded with features (blu-ray, tv-tuner and better processor) for about the same price.
A much better idea would be to make a bluetooth version of the numpad keyboard....
No firewire and more money. Nice one.
It has Firewire 800.
I thought it was actually LESS money.
haha, talk about a double fail.
I can't believe people are actually justifying the numeric keypad-free keyboards. Apple has you by the balls.
Why? Maybe you use the keypad, but I have NEVER used any keypad on a keyboard, Apple or otherwise. Sorry fanboy, try another dumb ass reason to hate apple.
Stop your whining about a num-pad...
Apple wants its users to think "Outside the box" be creative expand your mind!
Num pads are for drones...
I like them. I spend 95% of my time on a laptop – giant keyboards feel awkward now, and my hands go to all the wrong places. I'd get a wireless one, though; the wired one seems pointless.
At least it still has FW800. Long may it live.
Word on the street is that they also removed Numbers from their iWork productivity suite, you must select it as an alternate option during checkout. if you want it.
I haven't used the numeric keypad in years - I got the wireless keyboard with my iMac last year, and got a 17" unibody pro two weeks ago. No difference, obviously. I work with a bloke who has a 17" HP thing with a numeric keypad, and when he saw my new macbook pro he bitched about how he couldn't work without a numeric keypad, apple are idiots etc. So I watched him like a hawk for a week straight - didn't use the numeric keypad once. I work all day typing phone numbers into Skype and I'm sure I'd get on better with one, but I sure as hell prefer the deskspace I get ;) Wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, no number pad - hooray!
:D
Agreed. As a business major, I could not go without a keypad.
Apple is letting the market decide. Have both options, they cost the same, if they sell 95% keyboards in one format, likely they'll get rid of the other. If both sell in large numbers, both will remain available. This is RUDIMENTARY BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
go troll elsewhere
Richard, by having one as the default option any such results would show bias towards the default option. If they were in fact doing as seem to think then the default option would be to choose between the two options. In other words it looks pretty clear that they are trying to phase out the numberpad.
Super-ridiculous!
But hey, you can still order the normal one, which I find absolutely ok - some people like to have a small keyboard, they can have it.
The folks who like the big one can have it too. Everyones happy :-)
The question is: will this option last? Is it merely a way to eliminate stock of existing numeric keypad units? Are they going to start to phase in the iWheel?
["apart from the terribly sad swap of FireWire 400 for an additional USB port"]
According to the Tech Specs, it has a FireWire 800 port......you just need to get a different cable or an adapter...
...you just need to get a different cable or an adapter...
Apple's business model.
I guess it could be ...we'll change 2 things for 75¢ and charge you $200, and you'll slurp us along the way...
Think Different...
cable.
As a PC user I must say I really liked the look of the old aluminum apple keyboard. But for $50 I always considered it a rip off since mine was $5 and I've had it for years and years. Anyway, the new one is ridiculous and an absolute rip off. No desktop needs a notebook keyboard. I would never buy or use that piece of crap. Num pad and real arrow keys ftw. Apple kb = fail. Along with all their new, way-to-expensive, products. I do however wait for the 3rd gen iPhone patiently as my current iPhone is over 1 1/2 years old now.
The full size keyboard is a no-cost option when ordering the iMac.
We'll just add you to the quickly growing list of people who can't read. The normal keyboard with a number pad is an option available at no charge. You have nothing to complain about.
Wow, you flame without checking your facts.
The numeric keypad is a FREE (shocking, I know) upgrade. I would take a guess that the demand for the numeric keypadless keyboard was high enough for Apple to justify this move. Remember, just because you like it there, doesn't mean everybody does. Had they released this a couple weeks ago when I bought my bluetooth one, I would have saved the $$ and bought this new one as it sits on my desk the whole day anyway.
Well no page has said it's an option to have one or the other. If that's the case then fine who cares about this stupid new keyboard why is it even news. I got no problems with it.
i rarely use the numpad, so i can do without it. also, short-travel laptop keys are actually pretty nice to type on. but the tiny, squished arrow keys is a deal-breaker.
And what if I don't want to buy the damn thing online?
What if I want to walk into my nearest Apple certified Reseller (tm) and buy one with cash?
I'm pretty sure you can't configure those, and I seriously doubt Apple is going to send half of their computers with numeric keypad, the other half without.
Christ! It's a regular keyboard with no keypad. Find something else to bitch about anti-Apple zealots!
Unboxing of iMac.. please see last year's unboxing of the iMac. Its the same deal. different ports.
Big or small keyboard doesn't matter.. I'd throw it away for another. always too thin for my taste.
What i'd like to see is the iMac guts. I want to see all its cores exposed.
sicko...
Why would you need a mini display port?
Dual Monitor support and a backup port in case your screen dies out of warranty.
But that setup would look absolutely awful.
yeah, It would be awesome if these looked the same as the LED displays, so you could dual monitor it and it appear there is no computer at all...
To have a dual monitor setup using an external monitor like the 24" Cinema Display which uses a mini displayport connector.
I've been using my iMac with a second 24" screen for almost 3 years now.
The DVI port is extremely useful.
I only wish the new iMacs came with both a micro and mini DVI port, for a three screen setup.
Apple's history of charging WAY WAY too much for RAM precedes them... but now this, this is getting well past the point of laughable into the area of
'WTF'
&
'seriously?!... seriously.'
$1000 CAD for 2GB more of RAM???
ooops 4GB
what are you lazy? buy your own ram.
Have you actually looked at the price of 4GB stick of DDR3 RAM? Go look at a 8GB kit price and then tell me that's unrealistic.
That's for 2x4GB sticks.
Those are expensive even at CanadaRAM (currently $950 for 2x4GB)
But the price of 2x4GB will go down extremely fast in the coming months from 3rd party providers.
All posts about Apple on engadget fall into 5 categories:
Apple fanboy: OMIGOSH best thing ever fap fap fap fap
Irate complainer: OMIGOSH another apple post is this apple.com LOL
Insatiable nit-picker: OMIGOSH how did they not include xyz on it?!
Apple hater: OMIGOSH apple tax closed hardware EULA linux can't play games
Level headed-commenter: OMIGOSH *something insightful*
I hope one day we can all be friends.
The level headed commenter says: Looks nice, but it's more expensive and really doesn't help me more then a much less expensive windows PC will. I won't even begin to think of how more cemented this will be when Win7 is live.
Mac's are great for some things, and you can't deny the chic styling, but they are not the be all and end all like some of the tech community spouts them as being. Rose, Laporte - I'm looking at you.
*IF* Apple's desktop / notebook lines were reasonably priced, the Mac market would be much larger then the small pittance it currently is. Arguably the best values from Apple have nothing to do with the desktops, as the Iphone/Touch and the AppleTV trounce anything else in their markets, but the computers do not.
That's awesome. If only we could tag posts, then set up filters to exclude commenters with certain tags.
Actually, on second thought, that would make it look like Switched....(get it, no comments!?!?! ahahaha, I crack myself up)
beware, not only the keyboard has changed, you also don´t get a free remote anymore! In Germany they´re charging 19 euros for something, which was a free included accessory in 2008. Shame on Apple, cause the remote was one of the things making iMacs special to normal pc´s!
I don't get why people are jumping on this lamenting-the-loss-of-FW400 bandwagon.
On the Macbook, it's warranted... there's no more firewire at all. That's a bummer.
On this, we got an extra USB port out of it and we still have FW800. Not only is this much better than FW400, but a simple adaptor can change it into FW400.
The average person has way more USB devices than FW so I think this swap makes sense. I'm not defending the complete removal of firewire (a la macbook), just defending the decision to FW800 and add a USB port.
Plus... Firewire devices are daisy-chained... so you never lose a port when you plug something in... you just get another one at the end!
apple is simply doing their homework. by making the numpad an option, they're seeing how many people even want/use it. most laptops don't have the numpad anymore. so they're researching to see if its worth the cost (and to a minor extent: the desk space) to even build that extra 5 inches of keyboard. im a primary laptop user and have not missed the numpad.
you're confusing totalitarian with democracy, apple is not the latter.
me want-ie!
I predict it will perform slightly better than the previous one...
Isn't it wasteful to buy and test stuff like this? Oh wait, Apple...
I think this one has extra shiny and newer better glossness.
I will never understand the twisted mindset of Apple fans.
First off - it hasn't lost Firewire. Like the MBPs, they *improved* your Firewire from FW400 to FW800. They doubled the speed. This is *good*. The only downside is that you'll need one cable to convert your FW800 to FW400. So the cost of doubling speed is one cable or adaptor.
Second, regardless of whether or not you use it, the fact remains that Apple removed the numeric keypad AND made the cursor and editing keys harder to use. You may not use the numbers often, but I know I use the edit keys a lot. More importantly, they removed these keys without lowering the price! You're paying the same money for less keyboard... AND TRYING TO ARGUE WHY THIS ISN'T A BAD THING.
So, to sum up: everywhere else in the computer world, upping your Firewire speed GOOD, removing keys while charging the same price BAD - but in the Bizarro Mac world, upping your Firewire speed BAD, removing keys while charging the same price GOOD.
That's Think Stupid
Overheard at Apple, "Only like 3 or 4 idiots use numbers and I'm not 1 of them. Wait a 2nd!"
have you even read the other comments, apple site or other Engadget articles? the full keyboard is a FREE option.
Phoenix, it is not the default option, nor is the default option to choose between two options. The default option is the chintzy-no-numberpad-thingie.
Jeff - Don't be dense. The standard keyboard with numberpad is an option at no cost. If you like the numberpad then get the keyboard with the numberpad. There, was that so hard?
Required: - it IS an option. All you do is choose that option when you put in your order, and WOW, you get a normal keyboard with a numberpad. Trying to make it sound like it's harder than that only makes you look like you have a learning disability.
I love it!
I build PCs in my sleep....but I can't select a radio box on a web site for a free option.... ABA Fanboys fail.
zak - don't be dense
he's not saying he can't get a full size keyboard. he's mentioning they reduced the size of the default option and took away features without reducing the price. that's it. please read his comment and understand it before you get mad.
your comments are getting repetitive. let things go...
should have waited to buy the new imac
"This is weired!" - Saad Rabia
BTW Saad, OS X offers system-wide built-in spell checking. A Mac might do you good (if you can put down the haterade for one moment...).
Nah, didn't think so.
yay