“Apple Computer is the latest tech powerhouse to stake a claim to your living room. Its new iMac G5 computers, unveiled last month in the shadow of the video iPod introduction, are all about enjoying your digital treasures from the couch-potato comfort of your sofa,” Edward C. Baig reports for USA Today. “There are two exquisite new models: a $1,699 20-inch widescreen version (the one I’ve been testing) and a $1,299 17-inch widescreen model.”
“Their most compelling new feature, dubbed Front Row, is designed so you can sit on your couch with a remote control, up to 30 feet from the computer screen. From there, you can appreciate the pictures, music and videos you’ve stored on this digital hub, without having to rely on the keyboard or mouse,” Baig reports. “Front Row brings to mind PCs with Microsoft’s Media Center software, which also uses a remote control to let you access music, photos, videos and more on your machine. Media Center has been available for a few years now, though it hasn’t exactly been zooming off store shelves. (Of course, Apple’s share of the personal computer market remains in the single digits.)”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple’s share of the personal computer market remains in the single digits, as does Lenovo’s, Acer’s, Fujitsu/Fujitsu Siemens’, Gateway’s, and every other PC maker outside of Dell (18% in Q3 2005) and HP (16%), according to IDC. Isn’t perspective a wonderful thing?
Baig continues, “What Apple brings you with the newest iMac are its trademark simplicity and beauty. These iMacs, like the earlier versions whose design commanded much awe and admiration, are meant to be seen… As with other Macs, you can exploit the wonderful iLife multimedia software suite, which gives you iPhoto, iDVD, GarageBand (for creating music) and iTunes. Through iTunes, you can buy (for $1.99 a pop) shows such as Desperate Housewives and Lost, though there’s still not much TV footage to watch… Handsome as the computer is, I wonder whether your living room is the ideal spot for the new iMac. Unlike Media Center PCs, the iMacs lack a tuner for watching or recording live TV. Even if you’re viewing a DVD, I’m not convinced that the 20-inch display will satisfy those who demand a monster-sized screen. The den, the office or the bedroom might be better options.”
MacDailyNews Note: Elgato’s EyeTV lets you watch live TV in digital quality, record TV, schedule programming remotely, edit content, burn your recorded television onto DVD or Video CD, and more – directly on your Mac. More info here. Want to connect to another screen? Use Apple’s $19.99 VGA Display Adapter to connect the mini-VGA port on the iMac G5 to any VGA-equipped monitor or external projector for video-mirroring. The VGA cable plugs into the VGA video-out port built into your iMac G5. Or use Apple’s Apple Video Adapter to connect the mini-VGA video output port on your iMac G5 to any S-video or Composite enabled device (TV, VCR, or overhead projector’s S-Video or RCA (composite) cable).
Baig concludes, “I’m a tad disappointed that the newest iMacs include no TV tuner. But if you can live without that function and are in the market for a multimedia marvel, these latest computers look mighty attractive — from virtually any seat.”
Full article here.
Advertisements: The New iMac G5 – Built-in iSight camera and remote control with Front Row media experience. From $1299. Free shipping.
Apple USB Modem. Easily connect to the Internet using your dial-up service. $49.00.
Related articles:
iTunes video to go: download video, TV shows to your notebook to watch on-screen or on your TV – November 17, 2005
Apple’s new iMac G5 a solid all-round performer that also has ‘wow factor’ – November 13, 2005
PC Magazine review gives Apple’s new iMac G5 with Front Row 4.5 out of 5 stars – November 04, 2005
Mac enthusiast Web site offers Front Row, Photo Booth to all Mac users – November 01, 2005
Apple’s brilliant, deceptively simple Front Row software has a bright future and raises questions – October 28, 2005
Apple’s Front Row hits torrent sites, video showing application running on Mac mini – October 25, 2005
NY Times’ Pogue: Apple’s iMac G5 with sleek, virus-free, spyware-free OS earns place in living room – October 20, 2005
Analyst: ‘media companies will call Apple to strike deals, Front Row is Media Center done right’ – October 12, 2005
Apple’s new iMac G5, iTunes 6, iPod video designed to bait Hollywood – October 13, 2005
Apple’s Front Row with Apple Remote and iMac G5: media center done right – October 12, 2005
Apple introduces new thinner iMac G5 with built-in iSight video camera, ‘Front Row’ media experience – October 12, 2005
the Performa 6300 had a built-in TV tuner, for crying out. For once, I agree with the critics that a built-in tuner would be the thing for a computer toting the front row thingy.
eyeTV has a hefty price tag attached, you can get a stand alone hard drive recorder/DVD-R for that kind of money.
TV sucks.
Baig concludes, “I’m a tad disappointed that the newest iMacs include no TV tuner.
He’s also disappointed there’s no floppy drive.
TV tuners are sooo last century.
People just don’t know it yet.
Is that coffee I’m smelling?
At least they’re calling Apple a powerhouse. Much kinder words from the media these days than in the beleaguered ’90s.
The landscape of television is changing. In the old days including a tuner would have been simple. Today, what kind of tuner would you add to a product? HD… who’s version and at what price? NTSC free to air? This format is destined for extinction by the FCC who has mandated a switch to digital broadcasting. Then there’s at least two major Sat broadcasters with competing and different systems. What about DVR functions ala Tivo? Well Tivo is struggling financially to find a profitable sales and they’re the market leader – there’s not much traction to be had there.
Apple could buy El Gato but eyeTV it was a relatively expensive piece of cheap plastic hardware and the software lacks Apples refinement. The $300 price is what it needs to be for El Gato to stay in business (because of extremely limited demand and cost for design/manufacture, etc).
Apple made the right decision to leave these alternatives to the consumer – they can pay market price if they really want these features. There’s just not enough customers to justify the expense of the required engineering and tooling, much less marketing, support and distribution.
By the way, the new iMacs are selling really well!
The Plextor Convert-X works great as well, and uses the EyeTV software to boot.
Seems to me that the reason for not including a TV Tuner is so that they don’t undercut their online video sales. I would bet that Apple is hoping that more TV Networks will sign on more content, and that iTunes Video Store will become a reality. At that point, a TV Tuner would be counterproductive. So if Apple added a TV Tuner now, only to have to remove it later when their online content grows, that would only incense people; removing features is never popular, much less when it’s clearly done to get people to buy other things. If their online effort fails, I would not be surprised to see the next revision of the iMac G5 include a TV Tuner.
MDN MW: Come, as in ‘Come on, do you really think the TV networks are going to shoot themselves in the foot like that after seeing what happened to the music labels?’
“exquisite, handsome, mighty attractive”
Wow, I did a double take. I thought MDN was talking about me! And yes, I too come with a remote and a decent footprint.
We just got one of these iMac G5s and it is indeed wonderful. It is sitting on a desk in our living room as our second Mac. We don’t use it to watch TV… well maybe a movie if one in the family wants to be by themselves.
The remote is fantastic. It is mostly used to control iTunes from afar. It makes it real easy to select and control what you are listening to.
I am very glad it did not come with a TV tuner or recorder. Very glad. That would have messed the whole thing up.