“Apple’s new iMac running the new Intel Core Duo microprocessor is the finest, most reliable, stable, elegant and intuitive personal computer available anywhere. There. I don’t think I could say it any clearer,” Mike Wendland writes for The Detroit Free Press. “This new iMac, which marks the first time Apple has used Intel chips to power its machines, is simply astounding. As multimedia and digital entertainment becomes more mainstream, you will find no other machines as well suited to create, edit and display audio and video materials… Web pages loaded faster, pictures and video images appeared quicker, scrolling through documents and spreadsheets was smoother and the whole feel of the machine felt more nimble than the already impressive G5.”
“Those thinking about replacing an older PC should look at these iMacs and consider dumping Windows, unless you are heavily invested because of work or special situations in PC games or proprietary programs for which there is no corresponding Apple version,” Wendland writes. “But making a great machine even better is a suite of upgraded applications called iLife ’06 that take advantage of these new Intel chips and deliver such vast improvements in digital imaging and multimedia programs that no programs on any other platform can even be called rivals.”
Wendland has posted a video of an iMac G5 vs. and iMac Core Duo in a startup time race here: http://media.freep.com/mw/imacbootup.mov
Full article here.
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Related MacDailyNews articles:
Dr. Mac Bob Levitus gives ‘highest recommendation’ for Apple iMac 2GHz Core Duo – February 07, 2006
Review: Apple 20-inch iMac Core Duo 2.0GHz – February 06, 2006
BusinessWeek: Apple’s new iMac Core Duo is an iMac on Steroids – February 02, 2006
AnandTech: Apple iMac G5 vs. iMac Intel Core Duo – February 01, 2006
Thurrott: ‘I highly recommend Apple’s new Intel-based iMac’ – January 31, 2006
Thurrott: ‘Nothing on Windows approaches the quality of Apple’s iLife ’06’ – January 31, 2006
Computerworld: Apple’s MacBook Pro ‘fast, really fast – looks like a real winner’ – January 28, 2006
MacSpeedZone: Apple’s iMac Core Duo nearly as fast as Power Mac G5 Quad – January 26, 2006
InfoWorld: Apple perfects the desktop personal computer with new iMac Core Duo – January 25, 2006
Flawed CNET review pans Apple’s iMac Core Duo with 7 out of 10 rating – January 23, 2006
Washington Post: Wait a month or so before buying Apple’s appealing new Intel-based iMac – January 22, 2006
Apple’s Intel-powered iMac provides a smooth transistion from PowerPC – January 21, 2006
PC Magazine review gives Apple iMac Intel Core Duo 4.5 out of 5 stars – January 20, 2006
Time names Apple iMac Core Duo ‘Gadget of the Week’ – January 20, 2006
Mossberg: New Intel-based iMac the best consumer desktop with the best OS and best software bundle – January 18, 2006
I heart Mike!
I’ve had my 20″ iMac for a week now and the difference between this and my old 1.25ghz G4 17″ PB is amazing. It is fast and the screen is brilliant!
Does he realize that Windows is an MS product? Seems to me he forgot that not-so-small detail near the end.
The new iMacs are selling well at our stores and no video complaints so far. I think that they are the best iMacs yet.
“as soon as Apple upgrades its Windows XP operating system to the new Vista system late next fall.” – YIKES ….. what is he talking about …
That movie is a great little example of the difference between the two models. Wow!
Did MDN miss this….?!!!
“Apple’s switch to Intel microprocessors (think of the microprocessor as your computer’s brain and the Core Duo works like two brains) opens up the very distinct possibility that you will also be able to run Windows programs on these Macs, as soon as Apple upgrades its Windows XP operating system to the new Vista system late next fall.”
This author, however well intentioned he may be, is sorely missing a significant Mac fact and difference.
Replace the word “Apple” with “Microsoft” in that last paragraph and it all makes sense. He’s simply made a single word error. What he is suggesting is that Vista will run on a iMac Core Duo, presumably due to Vista’s EFI support. He doesn’t know this for a fact of course, but a lot of people assume this will be true.
Sorry I didn’t mean last paragraph. I meant this:
“Apple’s switch to Intel microprocessors (think of the microprocessor as your computer’s brain and the Core Duo works like two brains) opens up the very distinct possibility that you will also be able to run Windows programs on these Macs, as soon as Microsoft upgrades its Windows XP operating system to the new Vista system late next fall.”
(see how it makes sense now)
“Apple’s switch to Intel microprocessors (think of the microprocessor as your computer’s brain and the Core Duo works like two brains) opens up the very distinct possibility that you will also be able to run Windows programs on these Macs, as soon as Apple upgrades its Windows XP operating system to the new Vista system late next fall.”
Wow! Talk about a Freudian slip!
I got my wife the new iMac 20″ from Ebay ($100 cheaper than Apple’s education discount) and she absolutely loves it – this is her first Mac. Her old black Dull piece of crap (which had to have XP reinstalled twice) is now sitting in the garage out of sight.
I must admit, it makes me look at my dual 1.8 G5 in a peculiar light…..maybe twilight….but I still love my machine as I believe it still flies.
……… as soon as Apple upgrades its Windows XP operating system to the new Vista system late next fall ………. Typing is patient !
Apart from the typo everyone is excited about there is little to argue with in his article. Could have been written by the old man Mossberg himself!
I own a Rev A iMac G5 1.6. It is way faster than that. People have to be carefull with stuff like this. You don’t know what it is running at start up.
AND he admits why certain people might NOT want this machine. Good journalism like this–not zealotry–is what we need.
I *MIGHT* consider dual booting with XP ONLY IF I am able to completely disable XP from accessing the Internet. But, still the risk is too high. Microsoft has clearly shown in the past that it cannot be trusted as a secure OS, and that is more than enough for me to never risk my Mac and data within 10 meters of an MS OS.
If your boyfriend has beaten you up, and has allowed access for others to beat you up, for the past 6 years and now all of a sudden because he has a beautiful new suit you are willing to trust him again? There isn’t enough of a change beneath the fancy new exterior for me to even consider letting him back into my life, especially considering I have something else in my life that has proven to be safe, secure, attractive, and even fun, for the past 6 years.
I suppose each person must assess their own balance between abuse and benefit.
Mike Buonarroti
“If your boyfriend has beaten you up, and has allowed access for others to beat you up, for the past 6 years and now all of a sudden because he has a beautiful new suit you are willing to trust him again? There isn’t enough of a change beneath the fancy new exterior for me to even consider letting him back into my life, especially considering I have something else in my life that has proven to be safe, secure, attractive, and even fun, for the past 6 years.”
All lies. I dumped YOU. It’s been six years. For God’s sake learn to move on.
There is a bug in the Duo which which causes reduced battery life, but it may be related to USB drivers in some OS’s.
http://anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=2693
“It is also important to note that the problem appears limited to USB 2.0 devices under Windows XP SP2 and not USB 1.x devices or USB 2.0 devices under other operating systems. “
I’ve put together a short video that shows the new Intel-powered iMac and the iLife applications. You can find a link on http://www.freepress.com.
Anyone have the direct link to this?…couldn’t find it…….