New iMac - anyone have one ???

[eodtech]

Looking at a new iMac 24" computer, any one have one or played with one?

Switched to a Mac 2 years ago after 18  years of a PC  and really enjoy using my PowerBook G4.

iMAC review

What do you think of them?

[Grant Lamontagne]

For the first time in my life I am tempted to give Macs a shot.  I always knew they were superior, but I still can't figure out one button on the mouse.  Mind you, since I have a small home network going now I figure it's worth a shot since I'll be able to use the PC's for PC only stuff and have the best of both worlds.

And that new iMac looks pretty sweet.  But then I'd have to also get the iRak to go with it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw2nkoGLhrE

Def

[eodtech]

For the first time in my life I am tempted to give Macs a shot.  I always knew they were superior, but I still can't figure out one button on the mouse.
Def

I don't use the Mac mouse, I have a 2 button wheel mouse on a Wacom Tablet that I use with my PowerBook G4 laptop.  I'm going to wait until next month when the new mac Operating System is release.

My PowerBook 15" G4 cost me $1600 2 years ago with 2MB RAM ( Apple lets government employees / teachers/ students / etc buy direct at a pretty good discount - and $1500 price included a full copy of M/S Office with a PC Emulator from M/S ) and the MAC has a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty ( which can be transferred to a new owner ) and a current resale value is around $1200 for my used laptop.

A new 20" iMac with 2GB memory, 350GB hard drive and another 3 year warranty is only  $1600 from Macconnection. free shipping and no sales tax. I'll probably wait until October and the new O/S will be available and loaded with iLife  08 ( another  savings of $200 ). It sure is nice not having to mess with drivers to load your hardware, and the 800 firewire connector is perfect for external HD backups. The addition of iWork ( Office clone ) now with a spreadsheet for $75 is another bargain.

The big bonus is the jump Apple stock has taken over the last 18 months!

PC Magazine just gave the iMac 20" an Editors Choice and said it runs Vista better than some PC's... for those that want a dual boot system.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see one at the Apple Store when I go to Atlanta this coming week.

[MacTech]

I'm an Apple-Authorized repair tech at a small NH retailer/service provider, the new iMacs (aluminum casing) haven't been out long enough to establish a reliability record, but it should be good, the previous gen machines were very solid

as far as the 24" goes, be warned, it has a definite "GOTTAHAVEIT!!!" factor going for it, when you see that gorgeous 24" display, your wallet practically leaps out of your pocket on it's own.....

Apple's Boot Camp feature works well, so well, in fact that when you're running that "other" OS, you are running a full-blown Windows box that just happens to have an Apple logo on the case, however Boot Camp is an either/or solution, you have to reboot to switch environments

the latest rumors say Leopard is on track for an October release, you may want to hold off making your purchase until then, and make sure to pick up an external FireWire hard drive so you can take advantage of the "Time Machine" backup software that's built into the OS

[MacTech]

For the first time in my life I am tempted to give Macs a shot.  I always knew they were superior, but I still can't figure out one button on the mouse. 

Def, the Apple Mighty Mouse *IS* a two button mouse with scroll ball, it just *looks* like a one button mouse, the mouse surface is touch-sensitive and can tell which side of the mouse is being pressed, there's a click button under the scroll ball, and the two squeeze-tabs on the sides of the mouse can be assigned functions as well

in all actuality, it's technically a 4-button mouse, it just *looks* like a one-button mouse

[kreskin13]

For the first time in my life I am tempted to give Macs a shot.  I always knew they were superior, but I still can't figure out one button on the mouse.
Def

I don't use the Mac mouse, I have a 2 button wheel mouse on a Wacom Tablet that I use with my PowerBook G4 laptop.  I'm going to wait until next month when the new mac Operating System is release.

My PowerBook 15" G4 cost me $1600 2 years ago with 2MB RAM ( Apple lets government employees / teachers/ students / etc buy direct at a pretty good discount - and $1500 price included a full copy of M/S Office with a PC Emulator from M/S ) and the MAC has a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty ( which can be transferred to a new owner ) and a current resale value is around $1200 for my used laptop.

A new 20" iMac with 2GB memory, 350GB hard drive and another 3 year warranty is only  $1600 from Macconnection. free shipping and no sales tax. I'll probably wait until October and the new O/S will be available and loaded with iLife  08 ( another  savings of $200 ). It sure is nice not having to mess with drivers to load your hardware, and the 800 firewire connector is perfect for external HD backups. The addition of iWork ( Office clone ) now with a spreadsheet for $75 is another bargain.

The big bonus is the jump Apple stock has taken over the last 18 months!

PC Magazine just gave the iMac 20" an Editors Choice and said it runs Vista better than some PC's... for those that want a dual boot system.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see one at the Apple Store when I go to Atlanta this coming week.

I would love to get an iMac, however I am having a hard time justifying it as i already have a Mac Pro with 4GB memory, 750GB hard drive, 2.66 intel processor with a 30" cinema display monitor. A true monster, no deals here, $7000. Also have a 19" widescreen MacBook Pro with 3GB memory. I' happy!

Calvin

[Grant Lamontagne]

Stupid question... can I network a Mac with my Windows machines? 

Def

[kreskin13]

Stupid question... can I network a Mac with my Windows machines? 

Def

That's a good question. I had at one time on my wireless home network 2 Macs & 2 PC's. All could print and surf the net wirelessly, but I don't think I tried to have a Mac "talk" to a PC. I'm sure there is some software that would allow you to do that. Perhaps "Boot Camp" or "Parallels"

Calvin

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have a wireless modem so I don;t think connecting is a big problem if I were to get a Mac... I am more concerned about file transfers- photos, videos, text files etc.

I share those among all the computers and my PPC constantly because what I need is never on the computer I am working on!

Def

[kreskin13]

I have a wireless modem so I don;t think connecting is a big problem if I were to get a Mac... I am more concerned about file transfers- photos, videos, text files etc.

I share those among all the computers and my PPC constantly because what I need is never on the computer I am working on!

Def

Yeah, I just don't know. Try asking on Lifehacker.com, they are always talking about both Macs & PC's. Great site for free software links (software meant to be free, not stolen).

Calvin

[WhichDawg]

we have one, it is amazing! "She" uses it, I just stare, it's right next to my PC here and I just stare starry eyed at it! I should play with it,
she'll teach me but she does luv it, no more windows!!