[Centris650]

Apple Insider & Mac Rumors are predicting that we might have a new G5 Cube-like iMac this January. Personally, while I think that would be cool I think it's a bit much. Though if it does turn out to be true....

[palmberg]

Originally posted by Centris650:
Apple Insider & Mac Rumors are predicting that we might have a new G5 Cube-like iMac this January. Personally, while I think that would be cool I think it's a bit much. Though if it does turn out to be true....

Hmm. Well, January is my target date for a new iMac. Guess I'll hold out and see what's in the pipe....

[Krusty]

Well, maybe announced in Jan, shipping by end of Feb. Though I have no reason to believe the rumors, I wouldn't be surprised if the iMac got the G5 next ... its now pretty much occupying the "prosumer" segment of Apple's desktop segment -- much like the cube did in the past.

[Frumpy]

Hmmm, while the G5 COULD come to the iMac, i think it's still too soon for such an announcement. I think it took a little longer to put a G4 in an iMac from the time they were released in the towers. As for the form factor changing...I would say that it isn't going to happen. The old iMac form lasted for almost 5 years. They're still selling the iMac's at a good pace right now. Why would they bother changing it right now? Maybe Macworld SF 2005. Not 2004.

[palmberg]

Thankfully I have a perfectly good (actually, perfectly great) iBook 900 at home right now, so I can afford to save up a hoard of cash for a couple months until the iMac rumors are settled one way or another.

Fact is, Apple is going to have to have *something* to headline MWSF04. Ain't gonna be new pro desktops. Probably ain't gonna be new pro laptops. G4 iBooks are just out. What's that leave? New iPods? Updated iMacs? Fancy new software? A completely new piece of hardware...?

[James L]

There WILL be a speed bump in the tower lineup, probably up to 2.5GHZ G5's.

You are right about the iBooks just being upgraded, so what will the "headline" item be for the January keynote?

I think in order of likelyhood:

1) G5 xserve.
2) G5 iMac.
3) G5 Powerbook.

If any of them come, I think the most likely would be the G5 xserve, then the following 2.

[WizOSX]

Originally posted by Macrumors

Apple is rumored to make a significant announcement over the next week and host a Music related in-store event at their Apple Stores after Thanksgiving (Nov 28th).

No further details yet available.

Maybe not a post in this forum but still. It seems something is coming this week. Could it be a new iMac? Two possibilities come to mind: a G5 iMac (not to likely) or a 1.42 G4 iMac in a new type case.

[Frumpy]

No, and NO. The iMac was just revised not too long ago. There won't be a jump until Macworld, and it won't be in a new case. THERE WILL BE NO NEW FORM FOR THE IMAC IN JANUARY. I guarantee it. Although, they might up the G4 processor in it...AT MACWORLD. Nothing MAJOR is coming until then. I'm tellin' ya!

[Centris650]

Originally posted by WizOSX:
Maybe not a post in this forum but still. It seems something is coming this week. Could it be a new iMac? Two possibilities come to mind: a G5 iMac (not to likely) or a 1.42 G4 iMac in a new type case.

Major Hardware is rarely released just for in store events and I see a G5/Form change a something major requiring a "Stevenote". Oh and as stated above the iMac was jsut updated a month or so ago.

[WizOSX]

Originally posted by Centris650

Major Hardware is rarely released just for in store events and I see a G5/Form change a something major requiring a "Stevenote". Oh and as stated above the iMac was jsut updated a month or so ago.

There are two different events talked about here. One is an announcement this week. The other is an in store event the week after.

Apple really surprised everyone with the G4 iBook--there was one rumor a few days before. Next week is just barely in time for pre-Christmas sales.

The iMac was updated on Sept. 8--that's almost 2.5 months ago. I bought a TiBook 550 in Nov. 2001 right after Apple announced it and they updated it 2 months later. So I think it is very possible that we will see some iMac change ASAP.

Usually I don't like speculation with no information behind it but in this case the possibilities are intriguing.

[discotronic]

Almost makes me sick to think that the iMac will be updated this soon. I bought the 1.25GHz model the week it came out. I was hoping to have the top of the line for about 6 months which is usually a good time frame. Then again, who doesn't want the top of the line for as long as possible.

[WizOSX]

Originally posted by discotronic

Almost makes me sick to think that the iMac will be updated this soon. I bought the 1.25GHz model the week it came out. I was hoping to have the top of the line for about 6 months which is usually a good time frame. Then again, who doesn't want the top of the line for as long as possible.

Sorry discotronic. Didn't mean to make anyone sick! Remember this was just my speculation with no further evidence to back it up. However, if the rumor of a significant announcement this week is true then it seems to me we only have a few possibilities, the most likely being either a G5 speed bump or an iMac speed bump. I suppose another possibility would be the really unexpected like a new eMac that has a built in LCD rather than CRT??

[dagaz]

Apple Insider & Mac Rumors are predicting that we might have a new G5 Cube-like iMac this January

This is one of the most unlikely Mac rumours I've heard. The G5 generates so much heat they need 9 fans to cool it. How are they going to fit all that into the small case of the iMac? Also, I'd be very surprised if Apple wanted the iMac to be competing with their G5 so soon after release.

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by dagaz:
The G5 generates so much heat they need 9 fans to cool it. How are they going to fit all that into the small case of the iMac?

Now read this:

-------------
Senior analyst Eric Mantion at InStat/MDR (Scottsdale, Ariz.) said the 1.2-GHz PowerPC 970 consumes 19 watts in 130-nanometer silicon and estimated that a 2-GHz 970 core would consume about 15 W in 90-nm silicon. "The less power the chip uses, the cooler the platform will run," he said. "It will therefore be more stable."
-------------

It is an excerpt from EE Times.

[Frumpy]

Blah, blah, blah. The iMac is doing fine with a G4, they will not put a G5 into it this early in the G5 game. On the other hand, Apple has been talking a lot about how a G5 PowerBook is coming...they just had to figure out how to cool the damn thing in that 1" case. PowerBooks are MUCH more likely. The Power Macs will be updated to around 2.5GHz which will give a nice little boost for dual 2.5's Vs dual 2's. Not to mention i think Steve is going to be introducing a major update to the iLife programs to get another $50 from all of us iDVD users. Hell, we could even see a new version of iChat AV which would be able to video stream to PC's using a brand new version of AOL Instant Messanger. If you recall, Steve DID SAY that compatability with PC's would be in the future when he announced iChat AV. AppleWorks should have a new version any CENTURY now, and an update to that has been talked about for QUITE some time. So there are quite a few things that could be announced.

[jtwiskowski]

Could the only special thing about the 20th Anniv. Mac be the 20" screen on an iMac? Could it be announced now with shipping promised for Christmas? Or just shipping promised early next year?

I really think Steve will celebrate the 1984-2004 life of the Mac at MWSF04 in January. However, maybe they want to get some Christmas pre-orders?

Can't wait for tomorrow. I hope something new comes before Christmas as I do not know if I can hold out until january, though probably will.

[Centris650]

Originally posted by jtwiskowski:
Could the only special thing about the 20th Anniv. Mac be the 20" screen on an iMac? Could it be announced now with shipping promised for Christmas? Or just shipping promised early next year?

I really think Steve will celebrate the 1984-2004 life of the Mac at MWSF04 in January. However, maybe they want to get some Christmas pre-orders?

Can't wait for tomorrow. I hope something new comes before Christmas as I do not know if I can hold out until january, though probably will.

In case others don't know ThinkSecret.com and MacRumors.com are thinking that a 20" iMac (No word if it would be a G5 or not) could be released tomorrow. WOW. How cool. (Also they are thinking that a dual 1.8 G5 Powermac could pop up tomorrow.)

Needless to say I'll be checking Apple.com out regularly tomorrow!

[discotronic]

Originally posted by Centris650:
In case others don't know ThinkSecret.com and MacRumors.com are thinking that a 20" iMac (No word if it would be a G5 or not) could be released tomorrow. WOW. How cool. (Also they are thinking that a dual 1.8 G5 Powermac could pop up tomorrow.)

Needless to say I'll be checking Apple.com out regularly tomorrow!

Looks like it happened.

[cantcstr8]

Well the 20" imac was today announced. Probably not going to be a big seller but will give apple bragging rights.

What everyone keeps forgetting is that while now everyone thinks the cube is cool It did not sell every well. I was working for a reseller at the time and it took two price cuts and the CDRW for it to sell at all. Even then our Apple rep said that they were not making money on it.

My guess for Macworld. Speed bumps for the towers to maybe 2.4 GHZ.

The big annoucements may be ipod and or handheld related. Apple is not in that space and the opportunity to do it right is there.

[Frumpy]

Actually i think the 20" iMac is going to sell just fine. I know that if i had the 2 grand (after the educational discount) i wouldn't mind upgrading from my 800 15" to a 1.25 20" WS.

[Eug]

Blah, blah, blah. The iMac is doing fine with a G4, they will not put a G5 into it this early in the G5 game.

Doing just fine? If you look at last quarter's numbers, the iMac line's unit sales dropped 20% compared to the year before. And this was during a period when total computer unit sales increased at Apple by 7%, and that's including the iMacs. IOW, the iMac is clearing selling poorly, even by Apple's standards, and the iMac is thus NOT doing fine with the G4.

I suspect a reasonably priced G5 iMac headless Hemisphere would do quite well, at least compared to current lampshade iMac sales.

And it seems reasonable to have a 1.4 and 1.6 GHz G5 headless iMac in Jan, at a time when the Power Macs will be at 2-2.5 GHz. Now if Apple is waiting for a 90 nm 1.6 for the iMac, then perhaps we won't see it until late summer, about the time we can start thinking of the G5 1.6 90 nm PowerBook.

[Centris650]

Originally posted by Eug:
Doing just fine? If you look at last quarter's numbers, the iMac line's unit sales dropped 20% compared to the year before. And this was during a period when total computer unit sales increased at Apple by 7%, and that's including the iMacs. IOW, the iMac is clearing selling poorly, even by Apple's standards, and the iMac is thus NOT doing fine with the G4.

I suspect a reasonably priced G5 iMac headless Hemisphere would do quite well, at least compared to current lampshade iMac sales.

And it seems reasonable to have a 1.4 and 1.6 GHz G5 headless iMac in Jan, at a time when the Power Macs will be at 2-2.5 GHz. Now if Apple is waiting for a 90 nm 1.6 for the iMac, then perhaps we won't see it until late summer, about the time we can start thinking of the G5 1.6 90 nm PowerBook.

Exactly!

[cantcstr8]

If you check out the current issue of Mac Design which is a British magazine but you can get here in the US. (border's carrys it )In the very back is a very good mock up of a G5 cube. They basically took the current case and shortened it to be just tall enough for the optical bay and one drive bay. It looks real cool.

I might be tempted

[Mr.Clicky]

The best i've seen can be found on this chap's website (scroll down the page a bit). He's a whizz on 3D modelling and goes by the musical name of Carlos Daniel Agell Sogbe. The Jonathan ives of Venezuela me'thinks!

http://homepage.mac.com/agell/PhotoAlbum17.html

Love that Penthagon. Just think where you could roll it.

[slider]

Originally posted by Frumpy:
Hmmm, while the G5 COULD come to the iMac, i think it's still too soon for such an announcement. I think it took a little longer to put a G4 in an iMac from the time they were released in the towers. As for the form factor changing...I would say that it isn't going to happen. The old iMac form lasted for almost 5 years. They're still selling the iMac's at a good pace right now. Why would they bother changing it right now? Maybe Macworld SF 2005. Not 2004.

One thing I have noticed is that trying to predict Apple's future product releases based on previous events often turns out to be wrong. Sure, they'll follow a pattern three or four times, but then they change things up.

Personally I think they should do a Cube with a single G5 and make all the pro machines dual processor. If they can get the price range right they'd have a success. Make it slightly more expensive with a comparable iMac with the same size display and less expensive than a PowerMac with the same size screen. I know that this product can be properly priced if Apple wanted to do so.

[cenutrio]

The 17" and the new released 2" iMac are just too expensive to justify for such low power. I bet the iMac will be updated to low clock frequency G5s soon after Christmas.