Mac Users; Check this out

[imported_Lucifer]

According to the Mac rumors site, a new more affordable G4 iMac is rumored to be released during the MacExpo in January.

Based on "highly reliable sources", Think Secret reports that Apple is expected to announce a $499 G4 iMac at Macworld Expo, probably 1.25GHz, with 256MB of RAM, a 40GB to 80GB hard drive, a Combo optical drive, USB 2.0, Firewire 400, 10/100Base-T Ethernet, a modem, and support for Airport Extreme, VGA, and DVI, packaged with Appleworks and a special version of iLife without iDVD.

Pretty cool1 🙂

 

[halfadder]

I love my PowerBook, but I also love my PCs. Even if Apple does come out with this "headless iMac", my next machine will still be a PC.

If Apple wants to make a $500 headless machine, it had better have a G5! I'm not sure if I'd pay that much for a G4.

Edit:
My PowerBook has that same CPU (1.25 GHz G4). It works great, even for Halo, UT2004, and WoW. But the Radeon 9600 helps with that. The rumor doesn't state which GPU the $500 headless box will have. My guess is Radeon 9200 as it sounds more like a "healdess eMac" to me. Apple's current iMac has a G5, not a G4 like the eMac and this rumored headless box.

Who are they trying to target with this box? I think potential switchers and the curious geeks would want more for their $500 than a G4. I also think education customers would probably want an all-in-one system like the eMac.

 

[Baked]

So they finally introduce a headless iMac? This I gotta see. Got my MacWorld pass already.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Yea, too bad its still a G4. It would be awesome if it were a G5, then I will really consider purchasing one. I also have to see this headless iMac though. Really interesting!

By the way, here is a link

 

[halfadder]

The more I think about it, the more I'm liking the idea. Ignoring the fact of G4...
The $500 price would probably buy:
* Semi-modern Mac
* Mac OS X and the Xcode developer tools
* iLife: mainly for iPhoto and iMovie, but Garage Band is great fun too
* A great Unix machine, more modern and fun than buying an old used Sun, and maybe less headaches than trying to install Linux
* No spyware! LOL

One of my friends recently spent $600 for his second LCD monitor. For someone like him, the relatively lightweight $500 price tag would buy him a fun new machine to learn and play with. The GPU probably doesn't matter much... the Radeon 9200 is more than enough to speed up the machine and OS... and who's going to buy a $500 Mac to play games?! It's not a Playstation!

But... argh... a 1.25 GHz G4 in the year 2005?! Motorola/Freescale is already making 1.7 GHz G4s and IBM has been making G5s for about 17 months now! And 256 MB is not enough for someone who's serious about pushing this machine, especially with iMovie or Garage Band!!

 

[imported_Lucifer]

256mb of RAM sucks, and I still dont know why Apple will continue to put 256mb. Well, its only a rumor, and I guess we will have to see what happens.

 

[LtPage1]

i really couldnt care less. show me a powerbook g5, or a 4ghz powermac, but otherwise i wont get excited.

 

[AwesomeJay]

k i have to ask.. what the heck is a headless imac?

 

[halfadder]

Originally posted by: AwesomeJay
k i have to ask.. what the heck is a headless imac?

I think it's actually a headless eMac. Basiclly a little white small-form-factor desktop Mac, no built-in monitor.

The specs sound exactly like the eMac that currently retails for $799... but without CRT.

 

[SirOblivious]

was wondering the same thing

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: AwesomeJay
k i have to ask.. what the heck is a headless imac?

Imagine this w/o the LCD.

You can't put a G5 processor for same reason why there's no G5 PowerBook. The G5's too damn hot and Apple can't find a way to cool it down w/o bulking the enclosure up. Just look at how thick and slow the G5 iMac is.

 

[AwesomeJay]

stupid mac users.. just say it doesnt come with a monitor.. headless.. sigh... LOL

 

[SLCentral]

I think I'll grab one of these to use with my HTPC, provided it has DVI-out, which it most likely will have since it's headless and so many monitors (including Apple's line) uses DVI. This way, I'll have a slim system that won't look weird on my audio rack. I have a HTPC right now, but I prefer OS X. Who knows...Think Secret is reporting it'll be shaped like the XServe, and be around 1.75 inches thick...perfect. And this way, I'll have access to music, movies, and pictures easily. I don't need a TV Tuner, so thats not an issue either.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

One thing I am wondering, what kind of GPU will it have? I might consider getting one of those. Hopefully it will be upgradeable.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: Thin Lizzy
One thing I am wondering, what kind of GPU will it have? I might consider getting one of those. Hopefully it will be upgradeable.

If the iMac or eMac GPU isn't upgradeable, don't count on this thing being upgradeable either. I'm betting on an very entry level one, probably a 5200 Ultra so it has Tiger Core Image support.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Yeah, you are probably right. At least the video card will be decent. Better than the video card in my eMac. I have a cheesy Radeon 7500, and a 1GHz processor. If that new Mac does come with at least a 5200, and a 1.25GHz processor for $499, thats a way better deal than what I paid for my eMac. I spent $750 on it when it first came out!

 

[halfadder]

At least Radeon 7500 is better than no GPU at all. And Quartz extreme works on all Radeons. Good point about Core Image. CI will require at least a GF 5200 (or Radeon 9600 and up).

Upgradable graphics would be nice, but that would also require a larger enclosure. Notebook mini AGP modules are neat, but really expensive.

If this device is indeed a real product (and not just something an Apple engineer designed and shelved a couple years ago) I hope it spans some neat HTPC accessories... sort of like the mountain of gadgets and gizmos available for the iPod.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: halfadder
At least Radeon 7500 is better than no GPU at all. And Quartz extreme works on all Radeons. Good point about Core Image. CI will require at least a GF 5200 (or Radeon 9600 and up).

Upgradable graphics would be nice, but that would also require a larger enclosure. Notebook mini AGP modules are neat, but really expensive.

If this device is indeed a real product (and not just something an Apple engineer designed and shelved a couple years ago) I hope it spans some neat HTPC accessories... sort of like the mountain of gadgets and gizmos available for the iPod.

I think Apple could do it if they wanted to, but I can't see how that would make sense, when you can't update the GPU on the more expensive models (eMac, iMac).

I doubt Apple will release any products that can't support Core Image natively, and the GFX 5200 is the slowest model. Well...I'd hope so.

That would be cool to have HTPC accessories...I hope they give us at least one PCI slot for upgrades too...no one wants stuff sticking out of their box.