[wvx]

The reason the iMac isn't doing well is because everyone wants laptops these days? There are few advantages of the iMac over today's strong Apple laptop lineup. The eMac works on the low end but everyone I know wants laptops, not iMacs. A friend of mine just sold her 700 Flat Panel iMac to get an iBook G4. I have an iBook G4. Another friend with an 800 iMac wants to sell it and get an iBook. Another friend has a 17 and a 15 aluminum.

The iMac is nice to look and but if I'm shelling out the money for a barely upgradable machine with an LCD and G4, why not get a laptop that I can take anywhere?

Just an observation. The laptop market is growing, all in one desktop market is probably heading in the opposite direction.

[Applefreak01]

Yep that seems to be the trend in computers and electronics today. Smaller, cooler, able to take with you. And someday day when we have have Power PC G3000's implanted directly into the human brain people will look up the term laptop computer and laugh at those huge things we called computers

[vmarks]

However, there are plenty of people who like desktops, never need it for travel, and want the huge screen without the additional cost of screen and PowerMac.

The iMac would be suitable for my in-laws, for example.

[DoraExplorer]

Originally posted by vmarks:
However, there are plenty of people who like desktops, never need it for travel, and want the huge screen without the additional cost of screen and PowerMac.

The iMac would be suitable for my in-laws, for example.

But I think wvx has a good point. Obviously some people do want an iMac, but the trend is not in its favor. If you want something quiet, with a small footprint on your desk and an LCD screen, you get an iBook. If you want something stationary with a big screen and a good price, you get an eMac.

I have both, and together they cost only slightly more than one comparably equipped iMac.

[applekid]

I'm glad this suggestion has a little more rationality compared to those suggestions about making a "headless iMac."

I only see one way to solve this problem: remove the eMac and bring the iMac to the eMac price! I think Apple should have only one consumer desktop or make the eMac education-only by removing some features.

It would be a shame to give the iMac a burial already. It is a quality machine. But I guess the bigger problem is how much laptops have caught up to desktop machines. Back when I bought my iMac, the iBooks only had a G3. Now the iBooks are almost a better deal than the iMac minus the screen difference.

It's a good time for Apple to rethink the iMac and give it the kick-start it needs.

[Big Fat Octopus]

Well I am an experienced computer user and I love my 17" iMac! It suits me and my family perfectly. I am much taller than my wife so you can imagine how useful the adjustable screen is for us.

The eMac is an excellent buy at present but the CRT kills my eyes after a while (I use an eMac at work).

Apple sold about 230,000 iMacs last quarter according to the last report I read. There has to be a fair amount of profit in that lot to keep the line running and improve on it.

The iMac just needs a refresh. It's design is near perfect. If they drop a G5 in it and lower the price a little it will sell a lot more.

[swichd]

Originally posted by applekid:
I only see one way to solve this problem: remove the eMac and bring the iMac to the eMac price! I think Apple should have only one consumer desktop or make the eMac education-only by removing some features.

I personally like the emac's design more than the imac's. CRT's have better color and refresh rates than LCDs.

[Rev-O]

Originally posted by applekid:
I'm glad this suggestion has a little more rationality compared to those suggestions about making a "headless iMac."

I only see one way to solve this problem: remove the eMac and bring the iMac to the eMac price! I think Apple should have only one consumer desktop or make the eMac education-only by removing some features.

It would be a shame to give the iMac a burial already. It is a quality machine. But I guess the bigger problem is how much laptops have caught up to desktop machines. Back when I bought my iMac, the iBooks only had a G3. Now the iBooks are almost a better deal than the iMac minus the screen difference.

It's a good time for Apple to rethink the iMac and give it the kick-start it needs.

Seems like Apple had to invent a market for the original Bondi Blue iMacs years ago, and they've kinda lost that niche. iMacs have gone more upscale without any real benefits over an eMac or an iBook (or powerbook for that matter). The LCD is nice, and the whole unit is showy, but is it worth close to 2 grand?

Apple needs to infuse the iMac with power and a bit of expandability. Get rid of the soldered ram, and make the video card and HD easily upgradable. No need for a headless iMac that would steal sales from the PowerMac side. For some people the all-in-one footprint of the iMac is perfect. Just position the iMac between PowerMacs and eMacs performance and expandability wise, so as to justify it's price.

[kokkao]

Drop the 15", then either increase the 17" and 20" spec. to top speed G4, 512Mb Ram as standard and improve the video card; add airport and a larger HD as standard on the 20"; and combine that with a price cut a la eMac .
Or - keep the price roughly the same and do all that but with G5 processors.

The problem with making things "easily" upgradeable on the iMac is the cramped nature of the interior.

Personally I dislike CRTs and love the widescreen iMacs, but the new eMac spec is really good. Are you listening Apple??

[swichd]

Originally posted by kokkao:
Drop the 15", then either increase the 17" and 20" spec. to top speed G4, 512Mb Ram as standard and improve the video card; add airport and a larger HD as standard on the 20"; and combine that with a price cut a la eMac .
Or - keep the price roughly the same and do all that but with G5 processors.

Adding the G5 would be good, but a 20" LCD?!? That would cost about $1000 per screen! Few would pay $2600 for a computer with no upgrades possible.

[Socially Awkward Solo]

I could never have a laptop as my main computer. As a pro user the reasons are obvious.

[Simon]

Originally posted by swichd:
Adding the G5 would be good, but a 20" LCD?!? That would cost about $1000 per screen! Few would pay $2600 for a computer with no upgrades possible.

The current 20" imac costs $2200.

I think most here will agree that kind of money should buy us a 20" TFT and a G5 (even if it's just 1.6GHz) in the iMac - especially after the PowerMac update (2.0GHz-2.6Ghz) comes along...

[iREZ]

I would be one to say that the current line of higher end Powerbooks are tons more professional then the 17" or 20" iMac's. I think the reason we haven't seen any upgrades in the iMac line is because its going to have a G5 in it for its next update. If it doesn't have a G5 and prices stay the same, then I would have to say that the iMac will be the worst line to buy from Apple if your looking for lots of computer at a reasonable price. Even if they bumped it to 1.5 with 512MB and 128MB VRAM and faster HD option, it still wouldn't justify the cost. My 2 cents.

[heresiarh]

eMacs are basically useless and the iMacs, for the price you can get a good apple laptop. plus i don't understand the point of the expensive 21' iMac. sure it looks great. i might be it as a decoration piece.

[discotronic]

Originally posted by heresiarh:
eMacs are basically useless

Everybody has a right to their own opinion However, if you are going to make a statement like that you should at least back it up.

Right now, out of all Macs on the market, the eMac gives the most bang for the buck.

[heresiarh]

understandable. I probably should not have made the statement cause all the work i do is graphic/video editing intensive. my first buy was the old imac and then i went ahead and bought an emac, thinking the new g4 processor might help. just out of personal experience, the emac has not served my purpose but thats just for me, i guess.

plus im not financially stable enough to buy all the latest gear right away, it takes me quite some time to come up to speed:-).

[Link]

Personally, I think apple should kill the imac and emac... and replace them with a new, human product line.

Call it something that ends in ium or ion.. and make sure it's a corny looking box with a label on the front that says it's model number in tamoha font or something similar...

Then make sure the box has a picture of the machine sitting at a table, but the picture itself mainly focusing on a group of people sitting in the nearby livingroom. Make the people look cheesey and happy, and you shall have a winning machine..

Oh and make sure the model number ends with a 4 digit number, and the machine itself has all sorts of buzz words.

Guaranteed sale.

[heresiarh]

good one.

[Mister Feegs]

The attraction to laptops is obvious and right on trend, as has been mentioned. But there is one aspect no one has raised which is very important. In fact, everyone in the whole laptop field goes quiet on this issue. It's ergonomics.

Laptops are fine for very brief spells but are terrible for prolonged keying, because the screen & keyboard relationship is completely contrary to our biomechanics.

Regular users risk neck & shoulder problems, that - if ignored - can lead to permanent damage for some!

The solution? Use a desktop eMac, iMac or Power Mac, correctly set up.

I'm waiting for the floodgates to open when the very litigious people of this world take laptop makers to the cleaners! It's THAT serious.

In future, the solution will be eliminating the keyboard. That's the only way to get around the poor ergonomics of laptops.

Incidentally, if you've got one, a way to solve the problem is attach a separate keyboard and set your laptop onto a stand so the screen top is at eye height.

Oh, and for what it's worth, I've just ordered a new eMac. Most bang for your buck, less clutter, and IMHO, the best way to future proof against major upgrades (unless you're a power user)- after all, you can just give it to the kids and buy a new one!

[hudson1]

I'm sure the iBook G4 has cannabalized some iMac sales but I'd hesitate to declare that it's the main reason. Firstly, one of the original complaints about the iMac G4 was that it only came with a 15" screen so Apple responded with a 17" screen. The largest screen on an iBook is only 14" (and resolution limited) so anyone who thought a 15" screen was too small for the iMac surely can't think the iBook has an adequate screen if that's their only computer. Also, to make the iBook similarly functional as an iMac then you need to add a keyboard, mouse, and probably a laptop stand. Now you've created as much or maybe more desktop clutter than you'd have with an iMac alone.

Most important, though, is the difference in drive capacity and speed. I know you can special order an iBook with a SuperDrive now but how can you seriously use it for digital video editing without a hard drive that's probably twice as big as an iBook comes with? So now you're looking at an external Firewire hard drive to go with it.

This brings me to where I think Apple should be going with their advertising. The eMac. Here you have an all-in-one machine with stock setup and software for just about any digital video capture, editing, compression, and burning need that you can think of, all for the great price of $999. Can you really match that combination of price, capability, and ease of use in the Windows world? I doubt it very seriously. It also demonstrates that from a purely functional standpoint the iMac is overpriced which is what I think is the predominant reason for its slow sales.

[Spiritman]

What most folks don't realize and what most pleasantly suprised me was the brightness, contrast and viewing angle of the 20" iMac which is leagues above the powerbooks and iBooks and eMac.......thats the reason the screen is so thick....to hold the larger light tubes.....you just can't fit that quality in a laptop.....I use my iBook for travel but for quiet, ease on the eyes, and something like Photoshop work I find it hard to beat the iMac.....the screen has the same specs as the 20 and 23 cinema display!!

[heresiarh]

has anyone done any hardcore video and 3D modeling on their imacs?

[adammull]

Apple cannot just do away with desktops. Yes I love airport and it has changed my life at home where I can sit in my lazy-boy and watch sportscenter while doing my finances on quicken. However, typing on a crappy cramped keyboard for long periods while I am at work for 12 hours a day does not sound enticing at all. Why not just say that you personally don't use iMacs? I mean, a lot of us, besides you, may have a use for a desktop. In fact, I would like to see how a business could operate on laptops. Not to mention the fact that I am constantly going back to my desk at home anyway to recharge my iBook. The iMac is still my digital hub and I hope that it will be around for years to come. I will buy whatever new powerbook or ibook that comes out every few years, along with the newest iPod and the hovercar Apple will unveil at WWDC; however, it will all still hinge on my lovable digital hub: the iMac.

[heresiarh]

iMacs are very pleasant looking.

[jobsen_ski]

i'm currently thinking of buying a 20' iMac along with an EyeTV and rurning it into a TV and DVD player! It would look soooooo gd in ma bedroom! now if apple included that in the next revision iMacs! thay would be flying out the door, i can just imagine it every1 having an iMac in their room to watch TV play DVDs sync wa their ipodsl listen to music and dowload it on iTunes then it would realy be the digital hub!!!

[heresiarh]

Sounds like a good idea.

[chimericalone]

Above all else, the thing I love the most about the iMac is the way the monitor can pivot so much. All computer monitors ought to be made this way. The iMac is a lovely machine, but at that price, I'd expect the specs to be better. That's a big holdback. Perhaps Apple could just make a standalone monitor based on the iMac.

[teknopimp]

not kill it but perhaps cut it's head off. there seems to be a huge demand for a rock bottom mac box. and everyone seems to have an extra monitor they could plug something into.

[heresiarh]

I'd agree with you.

[ApeInTheShell]

The best solution for an extra monitor hanging around is to sell it and buy the additional stuff to go with your iMac.

From experience I would have to disagree with this all-in-one mentality. Home users switched to the mac to get away from the upgrading for games and other software. If their computer can be replaced in 5-6 years why not get an eMac and iMac.
It's the gamers who make it an urgency to pop the newest video card whereas home users just guess it makes the computer go faster. People in my neighborhood actually believe a new computer w/ the latest upgrades will make them type faster in an e-mail program.

The point is that the iMac will continue to be around because there is an audience for it and this is not just limited home users but also advanced users. The eMac replaced the old iMac's slot.

[thunderous_funker]

Originally posted by Rev-O:
Seems like Apple had to invent a market for the original Bondi Blue iMacs years ago, and they've kinda lost that niche. iMacs have gone more upscale without any real benefits over an eMac or an iBook (or powerbook for that matter). The LCD is nice, and the whole unit is showy, but is it worth close to 2 grand?

Apple needs to infuse the iMac with power and a bit of expandability. Get rid of the soldered ram, and make the video card and HD easily upgradable. No need for a headless iMac that would steal sales from the PowerMac side. For some people the all-in-one footprint of the iMac is perfect. Just position the iMac between PowerMacs and eMacs performance and expandability wise, so as to justify it's price.

Throwing a G5 in the case instantly makes the iMac viable again--provided the price point stays the same. Nothing else can save it, IMO.

It's price/performance gap is atrocious and has been for a very long time.

[teknopimp]

it's definitely a trend, but real world values like affordability tend to take over. in other words, money talks. it is nice to have a smaller, portable computer and you will always pay more for that. most people have more desk space than money.

[vsurfer]

Originally posted by teknopimp:
it's definitely a trend, but real world values like affordability tend to take over. in other words, money talks. it is nice to have a smaller, portable computer and you will always pay more for that. most people have more desk space than money.

Agreed. Affordability, and a previous poster's very good point about ergonomics.
And I'd also add robustness and reliability.

I have a TiBook, but the iMac remains a very robust and affordable unit for the kids in the house, who would otherwise trash a laptop -- I'm into the 4th keyboard for the iMac at least!!! And this one's a "Grandtec Mini Virtually indestructible keyboard" because kids trash keyboards with food and drink! No way they are getting near the Powerbook or iBook for that matter.

On affordabiity
The Powermac G5 starts at 1799+699 for a screen or at least 430 for a third-party screen, ie. 2,230 - 2,500

The iMac starts at 1,299
so there's a niche for the pro-sumer with big 20" screens, but the family/lower-end units IMO are still quite overpriced.

Each year the marketing department probably also has to take into account the diminishng price point of the competition, so maybe we get a small 100 or 200 $ price break.

My guess is the iMac will get existing G5 chips when the pro desktops get another speedbump. That way the R&D and investment in the original G5 chips can be maximized -- another bite of the apple. (I have no ideas if heat issues will allow that, but I think they'll want to figure it out).

[fivminwalk]

Originally posted by heresiarh:
has anyone done any hardcore video and 3D modeling on their imacs?

I have a close friend who has started a wedding video production "company" (I use the term loosely only because there are two employees, himself and another friend) they do all of their video editing (using final cut pro), burning dvds etc... on a 17" iMac and an eMac. They have not really complained at all about the speed of their machines, in fact they were quite impressed. However, they do complain about the hard drive space; that obstacle was easily overcome by two external hard drives and firewire. I personally do some photo editing and have begun dabbling in 3d modeling with my 15" iMac and it is really not all that bad. I mean lets face it, normally when you need your apple to perform it does, regardless of the fact that the iMac or eMac is not "silver" or "pro".

[TRF]

Don't kill the iMac.

I am a "Pro User" with a dual 500 sawtooth at work and a 1 ghz 17" iMac (maxed out) at home.

I love my iMac. I have not had problems running my main apps on it. I have not done a lot of video editing, however.

I really like the size of the 17" vs. the 15 or 20". The 20 inch just seems too large for the base.

The iMac really solved a lot of problems for me. I bought a tower and a 21" studio display (the BIG crt) before I had kids. Yeah, I was a badass and it was nice, but four years later, I don't want a L shaped double-tier computer "center" with every periphreal within arms reach. With kids, you need all the space you can get.

My only complaints:

The iMac is wonderful clutterwise, but if you have the extras, ext HD, scanner etc, cable clutter (power and fw, speaker, usb) is still a problem. Especially in my case, when going "minimalist" was a goal. Any inventers out there out to look at that. My new black desk with white iMac looks awesome, but don't look behind it.

My other complaint is that I discovered America's Army after I bought the iMac. This game if you have not tried it is great, but my imac was struggling out of the box to get decent framerates. Each new patch means I am turning down the graphics a notch from normal to lower to low.

Suggestion:

Create a gamer iMac. Put a video card with at least 128 MB of VRAM on it. Seriously, I don't think one should have to by a tower to get the most out of computer games. Keep it moderately priced, and I think you would sell a ton of 'em.

Later.

[austeros]

Originally posted by TRF:
My other complaint is that I discovered America's Army after I bought the iMac. This game if you have not tried it is great, but my imac was struggling out of the box to get decent framerates. Each new patch means I am turning down the graphics a notch from normal to lower to low.

Suggestion:

Create a gamer iMac. Put a video card with at least 128 MB of VRAM on it. Seriously, I don't think one should have to by a tower to get the most out of computer games. Keep it moderately priced, and I think you would sell a ton of 'em.

Later.

The only time the imacs ever ran games well was when the voodooII card came out for our revisions a and b (the bondi blue imacs, 233 mhz) ahh good times, still using mine nearly 6 years later

totally agree with you though

[Rev-O]

...or create an expandable iMac. I've been converted to the "headless iMac" darkside.

Make a 1.6 or 1.8 single G5 iMac, give it 2 user accesible ram slots for paired ram and a max of 2 gigs, and give it a user replacable video card, and give it a user replacable hard drive. Optical Digital Audio output (or whatever it's called) for 5.1 surround sound. Airport extreme as an option. Throw in the usual suspects: USB 2, FW, 10/100 ethernet. No FW800. No Gigabit ethernet. No bluetooth. No monitor.

Make it compatible with a propriatary Apple display connection, so that you hafta buy an apple display for it (either the 20", 23", 0r 30"... hell, even keep the 17" around for it). Make it compact as possible. Even make it serve as a pedestal that the Apple cinema display would sit on to minimize the footprint.

This way you'd have an expandable computer that would be perfect for gaming and consumer use with your choice of (Apple) displays that would not scavange (much) from the PowerMac line.

Just a thought.

[bradoesch]

Originally posted by Rev-O:


Make it compatible with a propriatary Apple display connection, so that you hafta buy an apple display for it (either the 20", 23", 0r 30"... hell, even keep the 17" around for it). Make it compact as possible. Even make it serve as a pedestal that the Apple cinema display would sit on to minimize the footprint.
.

Noooooooooo......


Proprietary Apple displays only? I thought the point of a headless iMac was to use it with cheap off the shelf monitors and upgrade your monitor any way you like.

Report back when you find a market for a headless iMac with a proprietary Apple 30" LCD.

[Rev-O]

Originally posted by bradoesch:
Noooooooooo......


Proprietary Apple displays only? I thought the point of a headless iMac was to use it with cheap off the shelf monitors and upgrade your monitor any way you like.

Report back when you find a market for a headless iMac with a proprietary Apple 30" LCD.

Sorry, but I figured it'd hafta be a proprietary display connection. Apple's in business to sell computer hardware, which include their displays. That's part of the reasoning behind the iMac: sell an Apple computer and an Apple display at the same time. Last thing Apple wants is to sell you and me a CPU, and have us go out and pick up a cheap display from someone else.

I'm with you on the iMac with a 30" display... don't see much of a need for it. But it'd be swell with EyeTV, using your iMac as a PVR and watching TV on the 30"er. That's also my thinking behind including dolby 5.1 on it. Displays are getting to be big enough to use as TVs now. With a new iMac with a sufficiently large display you could have a computer, a TV, a music system, and something to watch movies with surround sound on. And it'd be a kick to game on as well. Truely the "digital lifestyle" hub that Apple has been angling for.

[matt_s]

Originally posted by jobsen_ski:
i'm currently thinking of buying a 20' iMac along with an EyeTV and rurning it into a TV and DVD player! It would look soooooo gd in ma bedroom! now if apple included that in the next revision iMacs! thay would be flying out the door, i can just imagine it every1 having an iMac in their room to watch TV play DVDs sync wa their ipodsl listen to music and dowload it on iTunes then it would realy be the digital hub!!!

The Next Gen iMac Should Be...

Thin. Light. Headless.

G5. Come standard with 512MB RAM and 160 GB 7200 RPM HDD. The HDD should be immediately accessible, easily removed and replaced. Apple should package in their own sliding enclosure/housing. This should become standard across desktop product families. They would sell a hell of a lot of these. How nice would it be to remove one of your home iMac's HDDs, take it to the office and plug it into your G5 tower?

Kickass DVD performance, world class. Super Drive standard.

4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Ethernet port, 2 phone ports, video out, video in, SPDIF, 1394a (2) and 1394b (2), speakers, headphones, DVI, HDMI, s-video. Headphones, USB & 1394 should be on the front.

Security electrical interface port on back. Modules sold separately, Apple's "iHome" application included with the iMac. You should be able to program all the electrical fixtures in your home, turning lights on and off on a schedule, and be able to access it all remotely.

Have an integrated cable STB interface. YPbPr outputs. Killer graphics to operate HD DVD and HD incoming signal on a wide screen TV at full resolution (1920x1080).

Should have integrated TiVo-type functionality with on-screen programming.

Wireless interface to stereo set. Surround sound capabilities.

Bluetooth for mouse & a new keyboard. Mouse pad should be built-into the right hand side of the keyboard, so people could lay in bed or sit in the Lazy Boy and pause the movie they were watching to check email. A left hand version should be available as well.

Wireless interface to printers and other devices.

The iMac also is your phone answering machine and fax. You should be able to program up to 100 extensions, each with their own individual outgoing voice message. The system should be able to accommodate up to 20 phone lines with a special adapter but should handle 2 lines standard.

Headless also means it's time for Apple to market 42" & up HD displays.

Headless also means a price point starting at $995.

Now, this is a "home hub" we could live with!

[leperkuhn]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:


Throwing a G5 in the case instantly makes the iMac viable again--provided the price point stays the same. Nothing else can save it, IMO.

It's price/performance gap is atrocious and has been for a very long time.

Headless will save it. The $600 mini tower would fill the nitch the Mac LC did.

Apple might not care about marketshare, but developers do.

[Paul_N]

A few months ago, I picked up a 20" iMac for my living room. It replaced the original graphite iMac SE. The main use for this mac (I have a room full of them upstairs) is to be the family video conferencing station. The tilt/swivel ability of the LCD panel makes it perfect for iChating with people and adjusting the screen so that everyone can see it.

It also makes the perfect station for showing digital pictures when people are over to visit. The 20" screen is great for showing slide shows, and again, the adjustability of the LCD panel is outstanding.

I wanted a machine that was silent, took up a small footprint, with a large display. As I replaced an old gumdrop shaped iMac, I knew the eMac was out immediately. The footprint was just too big, and I had concerns that it was going to be as loud (or louder) then the old graphite iMac it replaced. The hard drives in the graphite were very loud.

The powerbooks were out because they're too flimsy. I don't think they can withstand the abuse of children or visiting family. I have a 1.33 12" pb and I would never let toddlers near it, in fear of spills, drops, etc. Distant viewing of the screen isn't the best either. It does not compete with the iMac's 20" screen at all. For performance reasons I'm still running 100baseT over Airport Extreme, so the powerbook would also have to be cabled, which makes it pretty clunky. Additionally, someone knocked a soda onto the keyboard of the iMac, which destroyed the keyboard, but that was only $49 worth of damage. If it was a powerbook, it would have been toast.

Is the iMac upgradeable? Nope. Do I care? Nope. It does exactly what I need, and well. It is a perfect video conferencing station, and it is great for displaying photos. It also makes the perfect surfing station, and place to check e-mail. Everyone who visits is incredibly impressed by it, and everyone who sits down in the chair ends up using it to do one thing or another.

I slapped on an EyeTV 200, and it makes a great VCR. Watching shows on the 20" is more then acceptable, and it solves problems when two people want to watch two different shows at the same time. A simple pair of headphones solves the problem. When the EyeTV works, it is also great for recording shows and burning them to DVDs.

I can't upgrade to a headless imac because the footprint is going to be too big. I don't want a separate CPU and monitor. Too much room.

I doubt that they'll be upgrading ichat to require a G5 anytime soon. Video conferencing requires too much bandwidth as it is right now, so multi-person video conferencing is not coming anytime soon. If it does, something has to give, either quality or performance. You can't have it all, and replacing the codec with a better one (mp4) won't work as it introduces too much lag. Anyhow, when that G5 version comes out in 4 years, yeah, I'll probably upgrade, but this iMac will still be useful. It's functionality can't be beat.

Keep in mind, I'm not trying to use the iMac for something that it is not. For video editing, I have two G4 desktops (G5s soon), and for portability I have a PB. The iMac does serve a purpose and it does serve a market. Not everyone needs uber amounts of power, upgradability, or portability.

[hudson1]

I agree with the point that the iBook has taken iMac sales. There's nothing unusual about that as I'm sure it's the same situation for Dell and others, too. Where I work, we hardly ever buy a desktop machine anymore. It's virtually all laptops with docking stations, keyboards, and monitors. In essence, the laptop becomes that "headless iMac" type of machine that can also double as a laptop whenever you want to take it off of your desk.

Five or so years ago, no one made a laptop that wasn't a huge compromise compared to desktop machines. Today's top-of-the-line desktops are super-powerful machines that fewer people need while at the same time laptop capability has largely caught up with the lower end of the desktop market. This is an industry-wide trend, not just at Apple.

In many ways, the G4 iMac is a niche product similar to the Cube. It's just better thought out and more rationally priced than the Cube was. Consequently, it sells a heck of a lot better than the Cube. Whereas the Cube was truly a boutique product that really offered nothing other than form factor for its large price premium, the iMac at least offers an integrated and very appealing design for it's smaller price premium (smaller premium compared to the Cube).

[Gavin]

Originally posted by Socially Awkward Solo:
I could never have a laptop as my main computer. As a pro user the reasons are obvious.

I'm a pro user and my main computer is my laptop. The reasons are obvious!