Apple iMac Desktop with 17" M9168LL/A (1.25-GHz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive)

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Product Details

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Data Sheet [76kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 22.5 x 18.3 x 17.9 inches ; 36 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 36 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000CEUM7
• Item model number: M9168LL/A
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,483 in Computers & PC Hardware (See Bestsellers in Computers & PC Hardware)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 8, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer
Designed to be the digital centerpiece of your home and the fastest way to the Internet, the new iMac comes with even faster processors, faster memory, cinematic 3-D graphics, high-speed USB 2.0 -- and an architecture upgrade that gives the 15-inch iMac a whole new set of capabilities. Plus advanced communication features and wireless options.

The iMac dazzles with its brilliant 15-inch and 17-inch widescreen flat-panel displays that adjust their height or angle with just a touch. But what's even more remarkable is the fact that its compact base packs powerful features like processor speeds up to 1.25GHz, extreme NVIDIA graphics, a DVD-burning SuperDrive, and advanced wireless options.

Inside story
Inside the new 17-inch iMac, for instance, you get the 1.25GHz PowerPC G4 with Velocity Engine, 256MB of PC2700 (333MHz) Double Data Rate SDRAM main memory (expandable up to 1GB), NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra graphics with 64MB of DDR SDRAM, and an Ultra-ATA/100 80GB hard disk that dishes out data at 7200 rpm.

The 15-inch iMac features a 1GHz PowerPC G4 processor, Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW), and NVIDIA GeForce 4 MX graphics with 32MB of DDR SDRAM. Apart from that, the 15-inch iMac features just about everything the 17-inch model comes with, including built-in 10/100BASE-T Ethernet and 56K V.92 modem, two FireWire 400 ports, three USB 2.0 ports, two USB 1.1 ports (on keyboard), VGA output port, S-video and composite video output, headphone jack, Apple speaker minijack and audio line in jack. You can also enjoy the freedom of wireless computing: both iMac models come AirPort Extreme-ready, and you can add an internal Bluetooth module as a build-to-order option.

iLife. Suddenly, it all connects.
The iLife software application suite that come on your new iMac include iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD. They let you do fun, creative things with your pictures, music and movies -- and share them with family and friends -- in ways that people who use PCs can only dream about. And whether you're creating music CDs, publishing your digital pictures online, editing digital video, or burning your own DVDs, you can do all these things and more quite nicely without referring to a manual. It's all part of the iLife experience.

The legendary SuperDrive
The iMac with SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW) lets you burn your own movies and photos on a DVD disc that plays in almost any standard DVD player. Even better, the SuperDrive burns DVDs at 4x speed. And, naturally, you can pop in your DVD movies and watch them in widescreen letterbox format on the brilliant LCD display of your iMac.

54 Mbps AirPort Extreme
Say goodbye to being forced to set up your computer near a phone. Pop an AirPort Extreme Card into your iMac, and you're ready for the freedom of wireless networking from anywhere in your home or dorm -- up to 150 feet from an AirPort Extreme Base Station. And by the way, adding an AirPort Extreme Card is a snap, even for first-time computer users. Beneath the iMac's base is an access cover held in place by four screws. Images printed under the access cover show you how additional memory and the AirPort Extreme Card fit in the base when properly installed. It's that simple.

Sync with Bluetooth
Both iMac models can be custom-configured with an internal Bluetooth module to connect your digital devices wirelessly. Operating within a 30-foot radius, it enables wireless data transfers between a rapidly growing list of Bluetooth-enabled products. Using iSync, for instance, you can use Bluetooth to synchronize your personal information between your iMac, your mobile phone and your Palm OS-based handheld.

If you're interested in getting Bluetooth capability for your iMac, the easiest way is to have the Bluetooth module built in at the time you order your system. If you decide after purchasing your system that you want Bluetooth capability, you can easily plug in an external D-Link USB Bluetooth Adapter.

Extreme graphics
The iMac's sizzling graphics processors kick Quartz Extreme and 3-D games and graphics into high gear with hardware transform and lighting (T&L), per-pixel shading and drop-dead gorgeous effects at high resolutions. Both models deliver over a billion textured pixels per second. And the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra delivers even more 3-D graphics firepower with an advanced Live FX engine engineered to generate the most lifelike characters. And with Quartz Extreme, the graphics processors take over the transform and lighting calculation functions from the iMac's CPU, freeing the PowerPC G4 processor to perform essential system tasks faster than ever before.

Nifty space-saving design
Thanks to what's inside its ultra-compact 10.6-inch base, the iMac is several leaps ahead of any other consumer desktop system out there -- just like its revolutionary predecessor. So how did we pack so much power and functionality into such a small space? Credit a rigorous design approach that optimized every available bit of space and resulted in no wasted corners. Starting with a custom-designed circular logic board that fills the entire diameter of the base, we engineered enough space to fit in a full-height optical drive such as the SuperDrive. On top of the optical drive are a high-capacity 3.5-inch hard disk drive and even the power supply -- a split design that tucks neatly into the top of the base.

Speakers of the house
Both iMac models come with Apple Pro Speakers that handle 14 watts of undistorted digital sound. And since the iMac also provides power to the speakers, you don't need an additional power brick. The result? Reduced cable clutter. Both models feature an internal speaker, internal digital amplifier, Apple Pro Speaker jack, headphone jack, and an audio line-in jack that lets you use it as a sound editing studio. The bottom line is that you get to enjoy an incredible aural experience.

G4 Processor

Whether you use the iMac for productivity applications, games, sending email, editing movies or surfing the Internet, this is a wicked fast machine. That's because the chip inside the iMac is the PowerPC G4 with Velocity Engine.

The PowerPC G4 chip delivers unparalleled processing power whether you're importing your favorite music CDs to MP3 format, adding cool transitions to your movies, burning your own DVD discs, or simply duking it out with your friends using the latest version of Quake. Each of these actions makes use of the Velocity Engine to gain a tremendous performance boost. And with 333MHz DDR (Double Data Rate) memory keeping the PowerPC G4 processor constantly fed with data streams, your iMac kicks into overdrive with tremendous speed.

PowerPC G4 and Mac OS X Jaguar
You'll love the way the PowerPC G4 processor works with Mac OS X to give you a one-two performance punch. Mac OS X features preemptive multitasking that allocates processor cycles on an as-needed basis, and protected memory that keeps you up and running even if an application happens to crash. And now with Mac OS X Jaguar, Quartz Extreme takes full advantage of the NVIDIA graphics chip in your iMac to make everything onscreen move faster, freeing up processor cycles for the PowerPC G4 chip to crunch MP3 files and burn DVDs. What's more, the 15-inch iMac now has the added advantage the 17-inch model enjoyed: a new superfast system architecture with DDR SDRAM which constantly feeds data to the powerful G4 processor to make more efficient use of each clock cycle. In fact, the new 17-inch iMac can even encode DVD video faster than real time.

iLife applications just got a lot faster
You'll appreciate the iMac's phenomenal speed, especially when using your iLife digital lifestyle applications. See how fast you can do fun, creative things with your pictures, music and movies in ways that PC users can only dream about. And you can do it affordably, too. In fact, if you're using iDVD to burn a DVD disc on your SuperDrive-equipped iMac, you're doing something that required thousands of dollars worth of specialized hardware not long ago. The iMac with its PowerPC G4 processor and the SuperDrive lets you perform that same task for a fraction of what it used to cost.

SuperDrive

The iMac with SuperDrive was the first affordable, start-to-finish consumer DVD authoring and recording system anywhere. And since the SuperDrive-equipped iMac ships with Apple's famously easy-to-use iDVD software preinstalled, you can start burning your own DVDs from day one.

What the SuperDrive is up to
An industry-standard drive that reads dozens of standard CD and DVD formats, the SuperDrive writes DVD-R discs at up to 4x speed, reads DVDs at up to 8x speed, writes CD-R discs at up to 16x speed, writes CD-RW discs at up to 8x speed and reads CDs at up to 32x speed. It's hands down the easiest way to author CDs and DVDs that are compatible with most professional and consumer players, and that you can share with PC users as well. The SuperDrive supports DVD-Video, DVD-ROM and DVD-R, as well as CD-ROM, CD-Audio, CD-R, CD-RW, CDI, CD Bridge, CD Extended, CD Mixed Mode and Photo CD media.

Out-of-the-box DVD authoring
iDVD gives you a simple one-window interface for putting together a DVD that holds up to 90 minutes of movies or thousands of digital images. iDVD accepts QuickTime files (digital video, audio and stills) as input, and makes any number of clips, menus and slide shows, as well as clickable buttons for navigation. You can create menus with up to six navigation buttons over full-motion backgrounds. iDVD comes with an array of professionally designed themes, and also enables you to create your own themes. The MPEG-2 encoder in iDVD and the Mac OS X architecture combine to provide faster than real-time encoding and accelerated DVD recording.

Data archiving on CD and DVD
The SuperDrive is also ideal for doing regular backups. CDs can hold up to 650MB of data, more than 450 times as much as a floppy disk. DVDs can store 4.7GB of data, the equivalent of about 7 CDs, 18 Zip 250 disks, or 3200 floppy disks. With this kind of capacity, you can easily back up your entire digital photo collection and your collection of MP3 files -- and keep them safe for years.

Graphics

When it comes to 3-D graphics, the iMac has some formidable built-in advantages like, for instance, the gorgeous widescreen flat-panel display for professional-quality graphics. And then there's the NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics processor with 32MB of DDR SDRAM (15-inch iMac) and the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra with 64MB of DDR SDRAM (17-inch iMac).

Plus the iMac ships with Mac OS X, the world's most advanced -- and most graphics-savvy -- operating system. It's a combination that delivers unparalleled 3-D graphics performance and an immersive, photorealistic gaming experience.

65% more viewable screen area
The iMac with the 15-inch flat-panel active-matrix LCD screen delivers nearly the same viewable area as most of those bulky 17-inch CRT displays -- and with twice the brightness, sharpness and contrast. But here's what's even better: The iMac with the 17-inch widescreen flat-panel LCD screen, with a resolution of 1440 by 900, delivers nearly 65 percent more viewable screen area than the 15-inch display with a resolution of 1024 by 768. In fact, the 17-inch display delivers the same screen area as a 19-inch CRT. And unlike most other flat panel monitors, these beauties get an all-digital signal for a distortion-free image that never needs adjustment.

Spectacular 3-D effects
The top-of-the-line 17-inch iMac ships combat-ready with advanced graphics processing capability, thanks to its NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra graphics processor with 64MB of DDR SDRAM. The NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra delivers over a billion textured pixels per second -- the kind of performance you'd expect to see on high-end scientific and engineering workstations. That's because the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra supports the latest in graphics technology, increased horsepower for faster and smoother gameplay, and advanced graphics programmability for stunning special effects. Kicking your games and 3-D graphics into high gear with hardware transform and lighting (T&L), per-pixel shading and drop-dead gorgeous effects at high resolutions, the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra takes over the transform and lighting calculation functions from your computer's graphics processor -- and delivers standout gaming experience.

The iMac with the 15-inch LCD display comes with the NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics processor with 32MB of DDR video memory. Not only does the GeForce4 MX help make your graphics look better and run more smoothly, but it helps your iMac's performance improve as well. That's because of the way the GeForce4 MX takes some of the burden off your iMac's processor when you're in the thick of the action during intense 3-D games. The NVIDIA GeForce4 MX takes over all transform and lighting calculations from your iMac's central processing unit (CPU), freeing it to complete its tasks faster than ever.

Video out support
Need to connect to an external VGA display, projector or TV? That's easy. Both iMac models feature mini-VGA output ports that work with an optional Apple VGA Display Adapter, and both support video mirroring. You can mirror your projects to an external display or projector -- perfect for presentations and for sharing your ideas. And both models come with support for S-Video and composite video signals, so you can display your multimedia projects on a big-screen TV: simply connect your TV to the video output port via the optional Apple Video Adapter, and you're on television.

Wireless

Both models of the iMac comes with state-of-the-art AirPort Extreme wireless networking capability. AirPort Extreme consists of two components -- the AirPort Extreme Card and the AirPort Extreme Base Station -- and it brings the online world to every room in your home, without that unsightly cable clutter that's so often the norm with computers connected to the Internet.

54 Mbps -- nearly 5x faster
AirPort Extreme is a powerhouse performer, with the new 802.11g technology delivering a wireless data rate of up to 54 megabits per second (Mbps), nearly five times faster than before.(1) You'll see how fast this technology really is when you network between AirPort Extreme enabled computers in your home or office. AirPort Extreme is perfect for file sharing, web surfing, sharing a USB printer and multiplayer gaming. The AirPort Extreme Base Station also features a compatibility mode that automatically supports not just the AirPort Extreme Card (at data rates up to 54 Mbps), but all Wi-Fi (802.11b-compliant) products on both Mac and Windows systems (at data rates up to 11 Mbps).

There's no longer a need to set up your computer near a phone. Just pop the new AirPort Extreme Card into your iMac's AirPort Extreme slot, and you're ready for wireless networking from anywhere in your home or dorm -- not just where your phone jacks happen to be.

AirPort Extreme, like AirPort, uses radio waves to communicate. Unlike infrared signals, which require an unobstructed line of sight between the remote unit and the base station, radio waves can pass through solid objects from up to 150 feet away. Which means that you can keep your iMac in any room in your house and surf the Internet through walls.

Wireless printer sharing
AirPort Extreme lets everyone in a home or small office share a single Internet connection -- and an Ethernet or USB printer -- wirelessly.(2) The AirPort Extreme Base Station ships with a USB port for printer sharing. One model adds a 56K V.90 modem and a connector for attaching an optional, range-extending antenna.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity
Like AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth replaces physical cables between products with a wireless connection. Operating within a 30-foot radius, it enables wireless data transfers between a rapidly growing list of Bluetooth-enabled products. Using iSync, for instance, you can use Bluetooth to synchronize your personal information between your iMac, your mobile phone and your handheld.

You can have an internal Bluetooth module installed when you order your new iMac from the Apple Online Store. Or, if you decide to get Bluetooth wireless connectivity later on, you can easily plug in an external D-Link USB Bluetooth Adapter.

1. Achieving data rates of 54 Mbps requires that all users have an AirPort Extreme Base Station and a computer with an AirPort Extreme Card. If a user of a Wi-Fi certified 802.11b product joins the network, that user will get up to 11 Mbps and AirPort Extreme users will get less than 54 Mbps. Actual speed will vary based on range, connection rate, site conditions, size of network, and other factors.
2. Wireless Internet access requires AirPort Card or AirPort Extreme Card, AirPort Base Station or AirPort Extreme Base Station, or other wireless access point, and Internet access (fees may apply). Some ISPs are not currently compatible with AirPort and AirPort Extreme. Range may vary with site conditions. Wireless printing over USB requires Mac OS X v10.2.3 or later and a compatible printer.

Software

The iMac comes loaded with software so easy to use, you'll find yourself accomplishing things you can only dream about doing on a PC -- including burning your own DVDs -- right out of the box, with barely a glance at a manual.

The world's most advanced operating system
Mac OS X v.10.2 Jaguar, Apple's next-generation operating system, is at the center of it all. And with Mac OS X's Instant On feature, your iMac wakes from sleep in less than one second. The ultimate platform for the digital lifestyle, Mac OS X works with today's most popular FireWire and USB peripheral devices.

Mac OS X is a delight to use, but under that engaging Macintosh interface is a rock-solid, UNIX-based, industrial-strength operating system based on battle-tested technologies that do the heavy lifting on the Internet. And it's programmed to get every last bit of performance out of your software. The iMac boots up in Mac OS X, but it also comes with the Classic environment, which runs compatible Mac OS 9 software and is automatically turned on when you launch a Classic application.

Go on Safari
The iMac ships with Safari, the Mac OS X default Internet browser that loads pages faster than any other browser for the Macintosh. Safari uses the advanced interface technologies underlying Mac OS X to offer you whole new ways to experience the Internet.

Plan your schedule
iCal features at-a-glance views of upcoming activities by day, week or month, and lets you track your appointments and events with multiple calendars. You can create separate color-coded calendars for your home and work schedules, and view all your different calendars at the same time from within a single unified window.

Synchronize your personal information
iSync lets you keep your calendar and contact information synchronized up to the minute between your iMac and your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone, iPod and Palm OS device.

Chat up a storm
The built-in iChat instant messaging application takes finding and chatting with your online friends to whole new levels of fun. Thanks to iChat's built-in compatibility with AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), your new iMac gives you automatic immediate access to the more than 150 million members of the AIM and .Mac communities.

Mac OS X Mail gives you email that goes beyond words. You can drag and drop pictures, sounds and movies into your email, and use colors, fonts and formatting commands to enhance the look of your message. Mac OS X Mail also features sophisticated built-in junk mail filtering to identify and nail junk mail messages, with simple controls that let you train it to recognize what you consider spam.

1. Microsoft Word and Excel compatibility provided by MacLinkPlus, a product of DataViz, Inc.

* Some software may require a download.

Product Description
Thanks to some nifty hardware engineering, the iMac's dome-shaped base houses the entire computer: central processing unit (CPU), logic board, hard drive, optical drive and power supply. In fact, inside this easy-to-use powerhouse, you'll find everything you need to make movies, burn your own music CDs and DVDs and manage your digital photo albums. And because it has such a small footprint, you can put your iMac in places where you previously might not have considered keeping a computer, like your bedroom, living room or kitchen - just about wherever, in fact, you'd like to use it. What's more, since the iMac is wireless-ready, you don't even have to place it near a phone jack.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now I use my computer instead of the other way around!, January 28, 2004

By	Bighairydoofus "-" (Brooklyn Park, MN United States) - See all my reviews

I've been told by my irritated PC using friends that I'm a walking switch ad, but you know what? I don't care. I'd had computers going waaaay back to 1981 with a TRS-80 model 3 with cassette tape drive. I knew about computers, but they never seemed to deliver on their promise of improving our lives. I lived with PC's up 'til last year and finally threw in the towel.

Last year, I realized that I'd spent more time trying to get the various hardware and software to "play nice" with one another than actually doing anything useful.

Fast forward to the recent past. I pay the rather hefty sum (yikes!) and I take my sexy new iMac home. I uncrate this thing and within ten minutes of power up I'm already burning a CD to iTunes. Cool! I didn't like the mouse that was supplied, so I plugged in my Microsoft (gasp!) optical mouse and away I went. Now, you need to realize that I plugged the mouse in while the computer was running and it just worked! If I tried that with one of my PC's, best case it'd just crash. Often as not, it'd necessitate a trip to the grocery store for Doritos, etc.

One thing that my PC buddies like to remind me about (other than cost) is that my iMac isn't the last word in gaming performance. To that I say... so? If you're a hardcore gamer, the Mac platform isn't for you. For EVERY OTHER application, my little iMac can go toe to toe with a PC and usually come out on top.

I use it for photoshop, I've used it to master my LP records and language tapes to CD and MP3. These are things that I dreamed of doing with my PC's but was never able to. I now have an iPod and I absolutely love it. I use my computer every day and don't regret the investment even the slightest bit. I play games (Warcraft III, Diablo II and Everquest) once in a while. I watch movies on the widescreen monitor, and on and on...

Yes it's expensive, it's not for members of the upgrade of the month club, but if you want a computer that behaves like a reliable appliance and allows you to do the things you want to do without an IT certification,

BUY A FREAKIN' MAC!

Oh, and another thing. In several months, the computer has not crashed. Not once. Ever.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent choice for digital music/photo/video work, December 1, 2003

By	R. Biederman "richb65" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been using my new iMac with the 17" screen and 1.25 ghz G4 processor for digital photography, video and music. I am extremely pleased with it! Much of the credit goes to the software included with the computer (iPhoto, iMovie, and iTunes, respectively), which makes it easy to get started in digital photograpy, video and music. The hardware doesn't hurt either - it has a large and vivid flat-panel screen, and a built-in DVD burner for creating DVDs of your favorite digital videos. The small but unique speakers sound great, too. The iMac has been "plug-and-play" with my Kodak digital camera, Sony camcorder, and HP printer - no drivers or software installation required! One tip: choose an iMac with the larger 17" screen over the 15" model - it makes a big difference when working with digital photos and videos. Are there any weaknesses? Not really - some may say it's more expensive than computers running Windows, but I think the iMac delivers great value considering the excellent software included with it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm happy..., March 10, 2004

By A Customer

I've been using IBM-compatible systems since committing to the platform in the Apple II days. After one too many (pick one: crashes / blue screens / errors), I decided to take the plunge on my latest replacement. I have never been as pleased with a new computer purchase. At first I was apprehensive, thinking that you could never get anything done with a 1GHz processor. Well, things are a little different in the Mac world. This is as fast (or at least I can't tell a difference) as my 2.4GHz Dell. I did get 1 gig of RAM. One of the reasons I needed a new computer was that my PC did not have a DVD burner. Within hours I was editing movies and burning DVDs. The interface is great (I'm also using Windows XP on another computer, and it is LAME compared to Panther). I love the Expose feature. Windows users will think it is the coolest thing. Switching users is effortless. I have since added an external LaCie 200GB HD, effortlessly, and and am using the iSight. The iSight works fantastic with other Mac users, but is very sluggish with PC users so far (that's with Yahoo! Instant Messenger, AOL has a beta coming out that may fix it, but I haven't tried it yet). iTunes is awesome, you can listen to radio, download, organize, and burn without even thinking about it.
All in all, I am very pleased. I actually enjoy using my cumputer again, and am eyeing the G5 as a replacement for my last PC (you know, "more power").