Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, iMac, Apple, iPhone
The iMac, in a little more color

What do you all think of the iMac redesign? Most of the murmuring I've heard is lukewarm, and I tend to agree-- why bother, exactly? Yes, it looks just as cool as the old iMac (which is still very cool), but does a black Apple logo and a black back really make that much of a difference? Thin is nice (and that keyboard is awesome), but this is a desktop, and I'm not worried about a little bulk on my desk.
And here's the other question I have, though I think I already know the answer: Why are we still suffering that strip of metal across the bottom? Shouldn't the iMac's screen just go ahead and take over the rest of the front? I know, I know, it has to do with the insides, and all the room the ports and other guts need to function, but even if Apple made it a little thicker to fit everything in, I still think I'd rather see an iMac that was nothing but screen from the front. What do you all think?


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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
MacConvert said 1:14AM on 8-09-2007
I'm a big Apple fan, especially of the white poly iMac. The new iMac looks like the design was inspired by my 20" dell WS LCD rather than an original Ive design. The option they chose for the video card is also underwhelming considering Apple's recent touting of their return to the gaming field. I agree with some of the other poster's - make it a little thicker and give me decent video and a system based on the newer C2D 1333Mhz Bus.
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artifex said 2:03AM on 8-09-2007
The last thing I want, especially if I'm looking at a huge screen for something like a movie, is to see a logo in my field of view the whole time.
I know it's a mac. I don't have to be reminded. Get rid of the logo or put it on the back.
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Brian K. said 10:29PM on 8-10-2007
Just for the record, it's PRODUCT RED, not Project Red like you have in the article. I did a college report on the RED Campaign and would really appreciate it if your article reflected the correct name, as the link that it points to does.
Thanks,
-Brian
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geezer said 3:39AM on 8-09-2007
so true, I'm sick of that Jay Lenno look-a-like chin an the black rim makes the iMac look sad.
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Daniel said 4:30AM on 8-09-2007
The white iMac was pretty much perfect looks wise, all they needed to do was make a black version and maybe slim it down a bit again. The chin is here to stay, if they get rid of it where would they put the big Apple logo? I would have liked to see more of an update to the internal hardware, especially the graphics. The new iMac looks like a lot like a Dell display or any old LCD TV, what happened to think different?
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nintendo fanboy hater said 8:13AM on 8-09-2007
the chin is for heat disipation... a guy took it apart over at engadget and the fans are in the chin. I dont like the glare but you guys need to relax about the black edge. It makes it poppin'
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Craig said 11:19AM on 8-09-2007
Ask me, this thread has been overrun by a whole bunch of whiners. This is exactly the new computer I have been waiting for -- lower price, bigger hard drive, faster processors, more RAM. And it will look good on the desk in my living room, even with the black strip, which far from being a deal-breaker. I've got a flat-screen TV for movies, thanks. Still, if you don't like it, you could always go out and drop the dough for a cinema display, then remove the stand and glue it to the face of your new iMac. Mine -- sans cinema display and glue -- should arrive at my house next week. I can't wait.
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Billy K said 10:43AM on 8-09-2007
It may be a cliche' to hate on the look of any new iMac that appears, but I'm really not a fan of this new design. The pervious white plastic was clean and elegant - a pleasure to look at. This model seems somehow...depressing. The color scheme and materials really do remind me of a Dell product. And dammit - I went through a lot to get limited edition white KRK studio monitors to match my white plastic iMac. They're gonna look ridiculous next to the new iMac. (Despite my antipathy, I will eventually get one.)
And yeah, glossy screen sucks. I didn't realize how much until I actually owned a MacBook and spent some time with it. I would MUCH rather have an LCD monitor.
Oh, and the logo on the front is not black, fellas. It's chrome. (I kinda figured someone in this thread woulda figured that out by now.)
@21 - Brian, you seem to have taken great offense at Mike getting the "Product Red" name wrong. That must've been a heckuva report to have given you such a vested interest in this campaign. Congrats!
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EJP said 12:18PM on 8-09-2007
I personally love ithe new design. So there. ;)
As for "what's the point?" - This new iMac is more environmentally friendly. Which is a great thing.
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sendtojosh said 2:50PM on 8-09-2007
The reason behind the strip at the bottom: I guess it's necessary to reconcile the tilt of the screen for your eyeline with the bouncing-off-the-desk of the sound. Put in other words if it weren't there, your eyeline would be in one direction, while the sound would be travelling in another. Apple really do think of everything!
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sine nomine said 3:26PM on 8-09-2007
I'm curious - is the back aluminum or plastic? I've heard reports both ways. If it's aluminum, I bet someone can bead blast the black off and make it look better.
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Ed 2 said 2:06PM on 8-13-2007
I, also, don't care for the large dark Apple logo. Something more subtle would be a lot better, I think.
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Richard Orlin said 10:51PM on 8-17-2007
I, for one, am tired of people bitching about the new iMac's design. Especially those people who have only seen a picture of the new model. Last week I purchased a 20" 2.4ghz iMac to replace my three-year-old G5 1.8ghz iMac. I have been using ot for a week now and am completely happy with it.
Yes, I could have saved $300 by buying a refurbished 20" 2.1ghz iMac, but I felt it was worth the money to get the bigger hard disk and more video memory/beter video card. I have no complaints about the new design. Love the new keyoard and love the display.
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