 |
Search |
|
|
|
|
Classic 2 Guys |
|
10 Random Stories:
|
|
|
|
Why iMac G5s Rock |
|
 I haven't written anything for a while; perhaps because I, as a fourteen-year-old mac user with a sarcastic view on life, feel somewhat inferior to the deep philosophical thinkers that revolve around this site.
HA-HA! Just kidding. But I do feel I should make some sort of contribution.
Anyway, after going through and looking at the past articles, I realized that there really hasn't been a review of the new iMac G5, or pretty much anything about it, other than a (great) article by Johnahan about people that hated it already.
So, I went out on a mission to find out everything there is to find about the new iMac, and here's what I came up with.
Now, you must realize that I don't actually own an iMac G5 (although my dad might get one), and I really don't have the money to go out and buy a brand spankin' new computer for the purpose of a review (bag boys don't get paid as much as you think), but I went one day and spent a LONG time with the new iMacs at our local Apple store, in fact, the people got mad at me after a while.
But I spent a while critiquing every aspect of it, and, try as I might, I just couldn't find a whole lot wrong with it.
First of all, if you have not yet seen the new iMac in person, you need to. The pictures online are somewhat misleading; they make you think there's this huge white space below the screen, when in reality it's hardly noticeable.
First, let's talk physical characteristics. It doesn't have the cool little arm thingie with a screen attatched to it like my beloved iMac G4 does, it instead has the entire computer built into the screen (duh). It's pretty darn small, for a desktop anyway, and the wireless keyboard and mouse make it take up very little (if any at all) desk space. The "foot" that it stands on, though, is, in my opinion, a little to small for the screen/computer guts. It doesn't take a whole lot of force to tip one over; I did a little 'experiment' to find out how hard I had to push it untill it fell over (the Apple store employees were NOT happy with this).
I don't want to say the frame is unstable, because it's really not, but I'd put a weight or something on the foot just in case.
The way they fit the entire computer into the screen is nothing short of brilliant; and the cooling system is extremely efficient. You can actually feel the air being sucked in through the bottom, which is also where the speakers reside.
The speaker system is pretty cool; since the screen/computer guts is slanted down most of the time, the sound from the speakers at the bottom "bounce" off of the desk, right to you.
Both the 17-inch and the 20-inch are pretty much the same; the 20-inch is basically the exact same thing as the 17-inch, except a little bit bigger. It's as if you resized a picture of the 17-inch a few pixels in photoshop.
Only two things that could be better: although the screen/computer guts can tilt up and down, it can't easily move from left to right like the swivel-screen on the iMac G4. Also, I'm pretty sure there's a built-in microphone somewhere, but i can't for the life of me find it.
Now, the non-physical characteristics.
It's faster. Obviously.
After messing around with it, and opening (almost all) the programs and timing their opening speed, I came to the concusion that my iMac would be feasting on it's dust in a race. But that's a given, as mine is an embarrasing 800 mhz.
It can handle (pretty well) multiple programs open at the same time, to a point. I opened (almost literally) every program that was on the one at the Apple store (something that they also weren't too happy with), just to see how they would work. It almost froze for a second, and all the programs were running really slowly. But you have to keep in mind that all of Photoshop CS was open, plus Macromedia's entire suite, and iPhoto, iMovie, DVD studio pro, etc.
So then I just opened the "practical" apps that might be open at the same time in the average Mac user's day: Safari, iTunes, iPhoto, iCal, Quicktime, Appleworks, Word, Dreamweaver, System Prefs, and Photoshop to be exact, and they all ran surprisingly smoothly, even when all of their windows were up at the same time.
Apps opened faster, it got "confused" less easily, and it was smoother, which is pretty much what we all expected.
Here's a list summing up what I found:
--Why iMac G5s Rock--
1) They're small
2) They're coooooooool.
3) They're fast.
4) They can have more programs open at the same time.
5) They beat the hell outta their competition.
6) They taste MUCH better than the iMac G4s (wanna really piss off an Apple store employee? Take a bite out of an iMac.)
7) They're synonymous with the word 'practical.'
8) They'll leave room for all your binders, pencils, books, textbooks, half-written overdue reports, papers, worksheets, printers, scanners, routers, women, lava lamps, science projects, and phones that tend to crowd up your desk/work area.
So anyway, in keeping up with the 2guys tradition, I give it 5 out of 5 pants, due to it's practicality, ingenious design, and overall coolness.
Bottom line: it's really a great computer, even without the swively head, and I strongly encourage you to buy one for yourself.
And then buy one for me, so they'll let me back in the Apple store.
|
|
October 1 2004, 4:35 PM EDT, by
 |
Comments:
|
| sweetjimmyhugs |
10/2/04, 12:55 PM EDT |
Great article. I think you really hit the nail on the head on why the iMac is cool... now if it would only return my phone calls.
|
| whatsinaname9000 |
10/2/04, 3:21 PM EDT |
thanks, and im sure things'll work out between you two.
|
| MacForPresident |
10/3/04, 2:39 PM EDT |
This Mac is almost perfect.
It only lacks a pay-for-itself-function!!!
Wouldn't it be great by apple to add this little feature...?
Imagine how you walk in to the next apple store, take a iMac G5 and walk out the store with a big smile on your face without being disturbed by some hystericaly screaming employee hangin' on your backside trying to stop and sue you, as they always do when you try something like that.
It wouldn't take much to make world the wonderful place it could be... -sigh-
However, i think it's better to pay for a Mac than getting a [edited]naughty word[/edited] ing Windows PC as a gift.
|
| dab2 |
10/4/04, 1:08 PM EDT |
Wait a minute, I thought that you were supposed to lick iMacs not bite them! No wonder the people at the Apple Store were upset with you. ;)
|
| Jonahan |
10/4/04, 4:31 PM EDT |
Sweet, nice review! I can't wait to buy 5 or 20 for myself and the rest of the 2GAMAAW crew ;-) Ima have to hit it big with a poker tourney or the lottery or something though.
|
| ZackMac |
10/4/04, 5:09 PM EDT |
Nice review, but I'm still finding it hard to get that stinking smell of [doodoo] off my shoes from the rotten apples I stepped in when I read the Applefest article.
|
| nobrainzains |
10/7/04, 11:39 PM EDT |
At least you got to touch one - I have no apple store and no one else in the area has even dreamed of carrying macs. I want to touch it..
|
| macconvert |
10/13/04, 5:05 PM EDT |
I have done several benchmarks using xbench and speedtools with a new powerbook 1.5 with upgraded HD and video, and the numbers are surprisingly close to the G5 imac.
|
This article is archived, so you may not comment on it.
(The good news is there's always the shoutbox, the forums or the contact form if you're socially-inclined at the moment!)
|
