So let me start by quoting some of my wiser peers:

Roger Ridey: "amazing, I want it."

Charles Arthur: "Phil Schiller is *funny*"

John Dvorak: "if you put two headlamps on it and a metal sun visor over its "windshield," it would be reminiscent of a 1954 DeSoto... Schiller... wear[s] ill-fitting... shirt[s]."

Jason Fried: "Apple has wisely turned the new G5 iMac into a giant widescreen iPod"

Diego "mat catastrophe" Iaconelli: "In all, a somewhat disappointing adventure, and with the lack of Bluetooth — and it has to be said — lackluster graphics, it does not look like the new iMac will be able to turn around Apple's fortunes in the consumer market."

Mike Gordon: "This new thingy is an upgrade in all respects and in its own way revolutionary. Just the fact that for the same entry level price you get a 17” LCD and a G5 and a 20” LCD, G5, big hard drive and SuperDrive for, what is it, $400.00 less?"

Paul Jackson: "Apple has missed the opportunity to stay way ahead of its PC manufacturing competitors by not including Wi-Fi as standard and failing to catch the early adopter PVR wave by including a TV tuner card."

Peter Rojas: "here’s our pet theory/secret dream: they didn’t include those features [WiFi and TV tuner standard] because they don’t want the iMac to cannibalize sales of an even nicer media center Mac they have in the works."

Mark Anbinder: "People are looking for an alternative to Windows and all of its bugs, and this new iMac can deliver greater productivity while offering support for Microsoft applications."

Rich Brown: "Now that the iPod era is upon us, it makes sense that Apple's new iMac G5 wears the same uniform as the little MP3 player that revitalized the company's fortunes. Downside: As with any PC, the display will nearly always outlast the computer, so when it comes time to upgrade the all-in-one iMac G5, you may need to stomach throwing away a perfectly good 17-inch LCD."

So, OK, I have already measured a wall in the kitchen where I'd hang the thing, but I really want it to be a TV, too. Plugging in a Gato or other USB/FireWire (what's up with no FW 800?) tuner will likely complicate things. But an LCD TV will cost $800 - 1200, and I can't get the Epicurious web site or post stickies for my spouse. I think this is a great computer. However, it is less of a slam-dunk innovation than Apple fans are used to. Good business decision? Time will tell. It certainly would be if it were somehow magically cheaper... I'm getting kind of a G4 Cube vibe here.... the price point will deflect Windows users, and the subdued, evolutionary-not-revolutionary design may make it less of a hit among the faithful...

Comments 10:29:55 PM    

Chris Gulker's view from Silicon Valley - in words and pictures