MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

Veri logical - and about time

An iMac-like enclosure seems to present a couple of problems: stability and fragility of display. I guess they could put a sheet of heavy glass over the LCD to protect it, but the other issue...

They're not going to want to ship a heavy weighted base. Perhaps a hollow base and the recipient fills it with their own sand? Yeah, strange. Thinking a bit TOO different this holiday weekend.

/wanders off to get another beer.

if true, may already be too late

if not too late, does apple have enough supply?

Random Coolzip:

if the iMac is stable, why wouldn't the eMac be?

"/wanders off to get another beer."

Your name is almost Condom Rule-zip. Spooky, huh?

The eMac was designed with kids in mind, they climb and push everything over.

The eMac weights a ton, has a extra plastic sheid to protect the CRT from banging, chipping and breaking.

The power button is sort of hidden, which kids love to turn things on/off.

Whatever this new design will be, will need to be tough and cheap. Maybe with some sort of suction cup on the bottom to offset the lighter LCD panel.

They really need a inexpensive computer for the schools.

Hell, I'd be pretty happy if my schools got them.

Realist--the iMac is stable for someone with a moderate-to-reasonable IQ, not an desperately-in-need-of-ritalin elementrary school kid trying to climb the thing.

Maybe more a wedge type machine, instead of a floating screen would work?

We all know LCD's aren't fingerprint-friendly.
Perhaps an inexpensive, replaceable screen cover?

Definitely an wedge or easel (original Cinema-like) case design. Have the weight centered low in the case, both for stability and to minimize the thud when it gets knocked over.

Borrow whatever parts you can from the mini.

And have it at 17" max (maybe 16"?) to avoid cannibalizing iMac sales.

Sounds like a potential good seller if it's priced right.

So y'all are saying that the mini doesn't cut it as a school machine?

Whatever happened to OLEDs?

"Definitely an wedge or easel (original Cinema-like) case design."

Wouldn't that combined be a weasel?

A low cost and tough all-in-one would be great for construction site trailers as well --- anyplace where a rugged computer is needed. Combine it with a cash drawer and use it for POS as well.

'Combine it with a cash drawer and use it for POS as well."

There's a fine line between Point Of Sale and Piece of Sh*t.

Well, if it's along the same price as the Mac Mini, and with a sexy, sleek look, I'd probably buy one. Of course, I'm still having trouble debating on what to do with my old eMac. remember the days when Apple would discount prices on new models wheneevr you brought in your old one? Sigh, I miss the 90's.

Personally, I'd just like to see the iMac move down to this 'entry level' position, for education as well as normal purchase. It's Apple's most identifiable brand after iPod, and does the company much more good the more affordable and ubiquitous they make it - or versions of it - just as with the iPod.

Now, I'm not sure what's the best way of doing that - maybe slowly drop the present model's price to just under $1000 by next year, or downgrade some of the internals (less VRAM, slower CPU, smaller/slower HDD, etc...) and drop the price more immediately. But either way, the eMac brand name should just die a quiet death. It's continued existence just muddles the product lineup unnecessarily, and does little for Apple's reputation in the long run (vis a vis iMac, that is).

Tip to everyone: Apple is always working on something new. Pick a category or product and Apple is working on a new design.

RUMOR!
Apple working on a new iPod!
Apple working on a new MacBook Pro!
Apple working on a new Power Mac!

Just like every other company that makes products be it cars, planes, cameras or whatever they are ALWAYS working on a new product.

A sturdy, child resistent, eMac wich is more difficult to "take away": yes, it should be there again !

remember the days when Apple would discount prices on new models wheneevr you brought in your old one?

I just remember the days where Apple would discount prices on new models about a week after I'd bought one.

Wouldn't that combined be a weasel?

Maybe a wedge-tripod could be a wipod?

Get Dafacts

---

Actually, this is a REDESIGN..

If they were just upgrading the insides, it wouldn't be a story.

They're tossing the CRT and doing a complete redesign from the ground up.


You know.. cuz.. unconfirmed new features.... are.. rumors.

"There's a fine line between Point Of Sale and Piece of Sh*t."

I remember a time ago when some PC apologist nimrod came into this forum and said that even Apple Retail people referred to their in store systems as Pieces of Sh!t (POS). I found it amusing.

I thought "POS" to the Gen Yners was "Parent On Shoulder".

"Maybe a wedge-tripod could be a wipod?"

Nope. That's a tredge.

"Maybe a wedge-tripod could be a wipod?"

Nope. That's a tredge.


Or....it could be....a podge!

single core Intel CPU (with integrated graphic) + small LCD = Mac Mini + 12-13" LCD display. Likely either WiFi or ethernet but not both, 1-2 USB, no firewire, no bluetooth/IR/frontrow, no isight cam. 512 base, single RAM slot.

This is not rocket science.

There you guys go again . . . Apple does not have to be creative at all, just secretive. This fuels the a zillion rumors & then apple just skims off the best ideas from those rumors.

Mintdog said "no firewire" and no FrontRow, but I disagree. Some schools use their school machines for video projects. Firewire will still be useful for camera connections. FrontRow is just software, so it can stay - no cost there. I agree that the IR, Isight, and Remote have to go.

The easel concept is quite intriguing. The most stable shape in geometry is a pyramid. Let one side flare out for the square screen, and you'd have a shape new to the industry, quite unique, eye-catching and unmistakable, but still as functional, stable, and user-friendly. Now if you could make it attractive and take advantage of it to make the ports integrated usefully (on the back leg?), with some of them easy to reach, and the industry wouldn't be able to stop talking about it.

On the other hand, if I were a school system, why would I buy all-in-ones, paying the cost of an LCD as well, only to have to replace them in 3-4 years and repeat that cost. What's wrong with the Mini for education?

Here's an idea - can keep the Mini form factor for all future education computers, but create an LCD housing into which it can be inserted - like a cartridge. Each upgrade cycle you just buy a new Mini, transfer whatever needs to be transered (not much, on an education machine - maybe nothing), slap in the new one, and sell the old ones . Now that LCD technology so greatly exceeds CRT's for longevity, and since I don't see any near-term replacement for them that can match their cost, it's a perfect solution. Every sale you get, you lock that buyer into future upgrades with your own products, because they won't want to switch from it in the future and repurchase something incompatible.

What do you think? Can Apple create something like this simply, cheaply, and elegantly?

Grrrilla,

Hey I like the idea of the mini cartridge! About time someone does an all-in-one with user-swapable components. Just please make the cartridge so it can be unlocked and swapped literally within seconds.

What do you think? Can Apple create something like this simply, cheaply, and elegantly?

First, Apple would have to commit to the mini cartridge as a standard. No dropping the form after a few years, when your installed base is ready to upgrade (think PowerBook Duo).

Second, both the CPU and monitor would have to be usable as stand-alones. School boards are cold to the idea of vendor-specific lock ins, but they DO like the word "flexibility". Having the CPU and monitor usable as either all-in-one or in components would be a good selling point.

And third, Apple would be putting itself against $200 Dell monitors. If Apple prices too high, customers will just say forget the all-in-one, and buy cheap monitors for their regular minis.

Apple can do it if they want to. We'll see what happens!

The redesign should be flat, stackable, and easy to store on rolling carts. They should be dumb terminals that load off of XServe.

Right on mintdog about the hardware.

They could make a cheap 15"eMac, single core chip with a new stable design computer and still meet the margin requirements for steve-o.

Of course what they don't want to do is take sales away from the iMac so it will have to be dumbed down a bit like your options.

too many rumors not enough products

yen no ka...nya no ruun emac betiru...ai no abis benokon...