Customer Reviews

Apple iMac Desktop with 17" M8935LL/A (1.0-GHz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This review is a bit long but if you're even slightly interested in switching to the iMac please take the time to read it (you don't want to spend $2K on just any old computer do you?)
1st of all the individuals who wrote the 1* reviews obviously don't own an iMac and probably own a lot of MS stock so they are Apple bashing. I am in the military and have used PC's since there were PC's. I spent one tour as the IT manager for my command. My only experience w/ Macs had been at my kid's school and with my minister. I was extremely skeptical of Apple and researched for several months before deciding on the iMac. I was tired of having the BBB (big beige box) next to my desk. I had seen the new iMac in the news during its intro and was immediately smitten. I ask you why in the yr 2K3 do computers still look like they did 20 years ago? Apple broke the mold with the original iMac and then vaporized it with the new iMac. I've had mine for about one week now and my wife is about ready to divorce me. The engineering and design that went into the iMac make it the most usable computer on the market. Try moving a regular LCD monitor with one finger to position it precisely where you want it. I can bring the iMac?s monitor right over the keyboard for typing and surfing or put it up high to watch DVD?s with my kids, truly awesome. The 16X9 aspect ratio is great for everything, especially browsing w/ two windows open, one on each side of the screen. I get so tired of hearing how you can't upgrade it. How many average PC users actually crack a case and upgrade their PC's? Not many I'll wager. If you're worried about the iMac's 1GHz processor vs a 2.x GHz PC clone, don't. I run a 2.4 GHz at work and I see no difference in everyday apps. I suppose if you're a game freak you'll want a PC but my kids and I play games on consoles now and use the computer for important things like the wonderfully educational and preloaded World Book encyclopedia. If you're really interested read up on how the G4 chip processes in comparison w/ the PC chips. Set up was a breeze, about 15 mins including unpacking. The speakers look & sound incredible, and there's no power cord! Do you really need a subwoofer w/ a computer (more wires)? I was unsure of the Apple one button mouse but now I'm sure, no carpel tunnel as I move my hand around more the only thing it lacks is a wheel as you can hold the control key and pop up a menu window anywhere (you can add a multi-button mouse if you want). I love the "Dock" that holds all frequently used program icons, it makes opening an app a delight as each icon blows up when moused over. I have yet to use the super drive for burning DVD's or CD's but it plays/loads them fast and fine. The iMac is very quiet and just wait until you see it sleeping for the first time, way cool. Lastly if you know your way around MS Windows then don't fear Mac OS. I estimate it took an hour to familiarize myself w/ the important parts of the system. Go look at the iMac, talk to Mac users, read the switch testimonies and make you choice. Anyone who doesn't give the iMac a test drive and buys a clone will miss a great opportunity to own a truly useful home computer.

I'm writing this review on my brand new iMac 17" and I'm grinning ear to ear. I do wish I'd made the switch long ago. I have to admit that I sat on the fence for almost a year before making the move over to Apple. The iPod is what finally pushed me over (more about that in another review).

I won't rehash what other folks have already written. What also makes the iMac worth the money is the software that's packaged (free) with the deal. Off the shelf it's sold as iLife and it includes iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto. Trust me - you won't have to buy additional software for the iMac unless you're computing for a living. The included Appleworks suite is all you need for most publishing applications. And with the included browser, calendar, address book you're set for email and web browsing.

Set up was a cinch - I timed it - 10 minutes flat and I was surfing the web and had my email set up. Of course I already had an ISP service and I'm a bit of geek, but it was remarkably easy.

The only reason I can't give the iMac a perfect 5 is because of the pitiful mouse and keyboard. I've been spoiled with my ergonomic keyboard from Microsoft and their intellipoint trackball mouse. Once you've used these you can't go back to anything less. I really hoped I could avoid sending more money to Bill, but ...

One other note of caution - please note that only one of the memory slots is accessable to the consumer. Therefore if you need 1 GB of RAM you will have to have the 256 MB RAM chip replaced by an authorized service center. Otherwise the most RAM you can install yourself is 512 MB in the user accessible slot bringing the total to 768 MB. Not an issue for most users, but something to consider. The only way around this is to buy direct from the Apple store. The other bonus from buying direct from Apple is that the units from the store have Bluetooth built in! The downside here is delivery time - it took almost 2 weeks to receive my iMac from California to North Carolina. A wait made even more agonizing by the fact that my iPod was delivered in two days from Amazon!

First off, I should say I am an avid user of both popular operating systems: MAC OS and Windows OS. I hope my review adds some use to those of you who are on the fence. Before I try to explain the advantages of one system over the other, I thought a short description of my feelings of the iMac was in order.

The iMac 17inch wide screen computer is simply amazing. The OSX operating system is unequaled. It is so far ahead of anything like it one wonders if an alien is working at Apple. Not only is the interface the most visually appealing, it is also the most flexible. Further updates can only make it more appealing to the user who invests their money. Integration with multimedia standards like MP3, AAC, MPEG 4, PDF are outstanding.

My only disappointment, out of the box, were the speakers. The Mac powered speakers that come with the iMac should have been standard on the base eMac version. The speakers that come with the iMac do not equal the 2-speakers - 1 sub woofer 3rd party speakers you can buy for 60$ on the PC. You can upgrade to a better USB based set of speakers for about 100$.

I don't have much space for a full review, so let's get to the nitty gritty.

YOU SHOULD BUY AN IMAC IF: You are looking for an easy way to surf the net, send e-mail, do design work, looking for out-of-box ease. The graphics are unsurpassed, the 17 inch - thin - monitor is beautiful to behold. If you are worried about compatibility with Microsoft Office I suggest you pick up Office for OSX. With this package you have it all. The multimedia applications that come with the iMAC are so beyond the clunky 3rd party versions for the PC, it will make you laugh. Add to this that you get a Super Drive, a combo CD/DVD RW device (something that you can't get with the base Dell or Gateway system without paying even more) and you are set.

YOU SHOULD NOT BUY AN IMAC IF: You (or your kids) are game enthusiasts. There is no getting around it, games are made for Windows first. It takes months, sometimes a year, for game companies to port (translate) the same game for the MAC. If you expect to share files with every other PC user on your block, or want to have your kids acclimated to what their local school is using (providing they are using Windows -check it out first), then get a Windows based machine. As much as it pains me to say it, this is the truth, don't let any MAC fanatic tell you otherwise.

SUMMATION: If you are regular user and you don't care about games, if you are not worried about every file or application that you share being Windows compatible, get this iMAC. The important thing to remember is that Office files (Word, Excel, Power point ) can be shared eith a Mac or PC. If this is your concern, buy the Mac OSX version of Office and be done with it. The value of the iMac, in these terms, outweigh any PC.

The unseen value of your purchase of an iMac will be to strike a blow against the concept of a one-choice (only choice) Windows world and help create a competitive enviroment that all will benefit from.

Otto

Apple is quite simply the best and most innovative computer manufacturer. Their various Macintosh computers are very user-friendly: easy to set up and use and (unlike most PCs) seldom crash or malfunction. Furthermore, the new iMac computers, although full-featured, are very compact and, thus, take up little desk space. The new iMacs all have adjustable flat-panel displays with exceptionally bright, sharp images. Now Apple has increased the processor speeds of these strikingly-attractive new iMacs and reduced their prices. This model has a 17" display -- which has about the same surface area as a typical 19" CRT monitor -- plus a 1 GHz G4 processor, yet costs $... less than its predecessor. Please don't be put off by the fact that the processor clock-speed is "only" 1 GHz. The G4 processor accomplishes more than twice as much per clock cycle as Pentium 4s do and, thus, is faster than a 2 GHz Pentium 4. All things considered, this new iMac is a terrific computer at a quite reasonable price. Highly recommended.

Apple's 1 GHz 17-inch iMac may not seem to keep up with the PC big boys, but the reality is that the elegance of the hardware and software really makes up the difference. The screen is beautiful, and you'll never want to go back to a "normal" (i.e. non-widescreen) monitor once you've used it. Otherwise, the hardware is so-so: The speakers aren't great, and the keyboard and mouse are sub-par. On the software side, Mac OS X 10.2 is solid and fast, and the iLife applications are good (iMovie, iPhoto) to excellent (iTunes, iDVD). You'll want a copy of Microsoft Office v.X to round out the software selection, and that's expensive, unfortunately.

All in all, an excellent all around computer, especially for those interested in multimedia, though you can spend half as much on a speedier Dell system. But that's not the point, is it? The iMac has the grace, elegance and--dare I say it--innovation to keep fans happy. Worth considering if the price tag doesn't scare you off.

It's been a little over a month since I bought this machine, and I'm only kicking myself for having kept my feet in the Gatesian concrete for so long before. The machine itself is brilliant in its design, look, and efficiency. I picked it up at an apple store in NYC, and didn't ask for any upgrades since I wanted to take it right home from there. However, I would recommend those who can spend $50 more to opt for 512MB of RAM rather than the standard 256, although it runs quite well on the latter. The graphics, for which apple is so famous, are everything they're cracked up to be and then some. The mac browser, on which I'm writing now, safari, is a cut above IE for speed, design, and interface. What truly distinguises the mac, however, is how it does more with small packages: OS X is about half the size of windows xp, and runs more efficiently and with more ease and sensitivity to what users really want to do with a computer. I've spent some 15 years with my head under the hood of Mr. Gates' dirty windows, and although I learned a ton of information and made myself look pretty smart at work in the process, it was dreary constantly having to work around or fix the bugs that the skinny billionaire could have easily taken out himself before he sold me his OS. For windows users who are looking at this with the same question in their minds as I had: "is it worth it, after all these years, moving to a completely new platform" the answer is yes, it is more than worth it, if you're willing to make a few comparatively minor sacrifices. Obviously, (unless you want to keep a windows PC on the side) software will have to be replaced or trashed--don't worry, the proprietary productivity software sold with these macs, called appleworks (which I believe is a reworking of the old Clarisworks), is extremely functional and versatile, and the way windows software is constantly being ramped up, a gradual transition won't be that much of an additional expense, in exchange for the beauties of working on a platform like OS X. One caveat about hardware, however: you will have to consider the possibility of replacing your peripherals: I had to set aside my HP Officejet R40 and buy a comparable all-in-one device that's compatible with the mac and uses USB cables rather than the parallel port (it was only $200, so it's not a back-breaker). If you can handle those passing challenges, you are not likely to look back ever again to the PC: the imac in particular, is a stroke of design genius, and OS X is the only computing environment I can ever claim to have actually enjoyed looking at and working with. Finally, if you're what they call a "power user" (i.e., you like to have the fastest and most loaded machine on the market when you buy), you may wish to wait for the vaunted G5 to appear (I think they're actually taking orders for it now). But the 1GHz G4 is a powerful enough machine to do everything that a PC is capable of, with as much speed and far more grace and balance than any PC I've owned can claim. And if the $2,000 price tag of an imac is rather too much for you, consider the emac, which starts at well under a thousand but uses the old CRT. In any event, you won't go wrong with the mac, and if you're like me, you'll only be wondering what took you so long.

My new 17" 1GHz just arrived. I'd seen it in stores, but there is nothing like seeing it on your own desk. Without qualification, I consider it the most beautiful piece of technology I have ever seen. It is also simple. I have been a Mac user for some years and was sure that I would have to read a thick manual (which I have already bought, The Missing Manual for OS X Jaguar), but I have used my iMac for several hours and haven't had to use the manual yet. I have played a DVD movie, some music CDs. downloaded the new browser in Beta, Safari, and have surfed the Web. I feel certain that with just some referrals to the book, I'm going to get along in OS X just fine.

I am really looking forward to putting this beauty through its paces. I highly recommend it.

Apple finally made me an offer I couldn't refuse. But having succumbed, I must confess I find this a machine to admire more than to cuddle up and go to bed with.

I needed to upgrade from an original iMac and was thinking of getting an eMac, a machine I use at work. But when you consider that the 17" flat panel screen alone was recently costing a grand, it's hard not to be seduced by this powered-up version at a lower price.

But a few things I've discovered already about the screen: 1. the extra width doesn't result in larger images--it just gives you more desk space for viewing more files and programs simultaneously; 2. the screen requires a lot of positioning and repositioning to make the contrast line up with a user's changing sightlines--I get the best clarity and contrast with the screen placed above my eyes, not a comfortable position; 3. I just don't sense as much depth, warmth, color saturation, and vibrancy from the flat-panel screen as from a conventional CRT. It's more Marlene Dietrich than Marilyn Monroe (perhaps a plus to anyone who tends to become overly attached to their computer).

As for OSX, it's attractive, tidy, smart--and a bit of a pain. If you're someone who is messy but knows where his stuff is, you may want to stay with OS9. OSX is like the cleaning lady who comes into your office while you're away and puts everything into order. It may look good, but now try to find that report you filed 3rd folder from the left.

Apple did add a welcome feature to this edition of the flat-panel iMac--a "Sound In" input--not exactly a gain since the same feature was on my original iMac. Also, check your new machine for hardware problems. My "crash proof" OSX has required me to restart the machine time and again in the first 3 days of usage. If all of this doesn't result in a separation, Marlene and I eventually may be able to work out a mutual understanding.

This is a beautiful computer. It's extremely easy to set-up, the screen is sharp and bright, it has a very small footprint, and the sound coming from the Apple pro speakers is spectacular. If you're at all concerned about design as well as functionality, this is the machine for you.

The latest edition of the iMac 17" flat panel is an impressive combination of elegance, functionality, and state-of-the-art technology. It should easily justify replacing an older machine. At the same time, if I had not kept my previous machine, I would have been without a computer during the time it has taken me to insure stable performance from the present model. The problem was crashes, or so-called "kernel panics," each time I tried using the machine. Finally, after several conversations with Apple specialists, a trip to an Apple repair shop, and yet another re-installation of the OS, I've managed to enjoy an entire week of trouble-free performance with a machine purchased in February. (Now I can afford to address the minor problem of a sticky space bar.) My experience, I suspect, is anomalous, but after all the hype I'd heard about the flat-panel iMac and "crash-proof" OSX, I've learned that Apple can be human after all.

A few things worth considering in purchasing the machine: 256 megs is pretty meager, especially for a machine running "Classic" simultaneously with OSX. You'll want to add 512 megs to the empty user's slot. (The 512 MB memory chip is a bit pricey, but you won't regret the extra expense. For one, the machine's start-up time has been reduced by half since installation of the chip ). Also, the comparable eMac ( which I use at work) represents a substantial cost savings, especially if like me you believe there's still a case to be made for the good old CRT. (I find I'm constantly adjusting the position of the flat screen to match my sight-lines for greater contrast. Setting the display to "sRGB Profile" seems to help with reading some text, but all in all I'm still doing some second-guessing about not purchasing another eMac, especially after the shaky start with this model.)