New iMac - Much of a Muchness

[nfotxn]

The new iMac is pretty in that prissy optic white Mac way that seems to cover their "low" end. Although my experience with very white plastic appliances is that they tend to look pretty shoddy rather quickly. If I were to consign my (imaginary) money into a Mac at that price point I'd take the performance hit and buy the 14" iBook.

The whiteness of it all continues to bug me. It's not that it doesn't look neat and stylish. It's just that I know how I live and owning a white computer does not agree. The whole popular design world is all light, airy and ethereal these days. From glass and steel construction to white or aluminium high end electrionics. It's all really becoming much of a muchness, as these things are prone to become.

Unfortunate is the fact that Apple isn't really leading aesthetically anymore. They have a meticulously unified brand but the kind of risk taking that created the Bondi Blue iMac, well, they don't have to do that anymore. That kind of courageous design as executed by a big company is rare. And wether or not the company really was in dire straits at the time isn't at issue. It's obvious from their actions that Apple doesn't care to operate in high design anymore. They're operating for their own interests entirely now and thusly creating design that is increasingly more banal than I've come to expect from them.

Comments

[xkot.livejournal.com]

I think the new iMac is nice, but not a huge leap ahead in terms of design. It's just a tablet computer with a stand and keyboard, variations of which have been done for a while. I'm also with you on the white plastic thing - my iPod's shiny white and silver exterior was only pristine for about 5 minutes. I'd have preferred something in anodized aluminum like the iPod Mini. It would have been nice for the iMac, too.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think though that the iMac being the high end of the low end they're trying to keep in pace with their white and aluminium seperation, visually. The aluminium look is nice and practical as well. I just think it sucks that you have to pay so much to get it!

This is all meticulously planned, of course. The actual materials cost difference between the plastics they use and aluminium probably comes down to a mere dollars difference. So it's more "perceived value" bullshit that leaves savvy consumers rather suspicious.

[xkot.livejournal.com]

You have an excellent point about white plastic vs aluminum as an indicator of extra worth. The main reason I would buy one of the powerbooks over an ibook is the nice silver finish.

I miss the powerbook I used at my last job SO MUCH. I fell completely in love with it. Just thinking about them makes me want to turn to a life of crime.

[themacbear.livejournal.com]

Good points.
The Mac can be limiting in it's expandability, when you look at the consumer models. I've always had a Mac tower that I could still tinker around with, adding hard drives, video cards and such. Plus, I've seen some pretty wild Mac case mods too... so you can customise them if the mood strikes you.
I can see that the iMac would limit you in many ways from expressing yourself through upgrade choices. I guess that's why the iMac appeals mostly to people who would never consider building their own machine or doing upgrades. I also am not fond of the all white appearance of lower end Macs (my hubby will kill me for saying that). I find the aluminium exterior much easier to keep looking clean, and I'm not always afraid I'm going to scratch or dent it.
I agree with Brodie that this is merely a design decision based on separating the Mac lines, not based on actual cost of materials.
I also miss the days of the Bondi Blue and fruit flavoured iMacs. Apple’s design is still beautiful in my eyes, but it does lack a bit of the fire it had a couple of years ago.

Re: "Apple doesn't offer me an alternative to THEIR alternative"

[cpratt.livejournal.com]

What Dave said.

Seriously, the iMac is expandable enough. No, you can't insert a PCI Express serial ATA RAID card... but why in God's name would you want to?

Basically, Apple is about removing the computer from the equation: you should be able to buy an iMac and not think about the computer again, concentrating instead on your vacation pictures, your music library, your E-mail, etc.

[chinacub.livejournal.com]

I disagree muchly... if they aren't leading aesthetically, what computermaker is? I think they've taken some risks in the last few years, some of which have been forgotten because they were successful (as in when many said the iPod was going to fail, and then the iPod mini was going to fail, or that the cheese grater G5s were too large and were going to fail).

And I think that their design is really impressive when you see the products in person. The quality of their builds are still really high, filled with gracenotes of thoughtfulness.

I agree that it's all really white right now, but I guess I see it as a superrefined aesthetic and not a stultifying sameness.

Which is not to say I don't have major qualms about Apple, I do in many other respects. But their new product introductions still fill me with excitement and anticipation.

[cpratt.livejournal.com]

I'm not so sure about their build quality... they do look pretty, but jeez, G5 shipments are running weeks late, their service turnaround is horrible, and of course they're pricey to begin with.

Still, at least they're consciously trying to create an object of beauty. Not even Alienware can honestly say that: a yellow case with some blue LEDs stuck in the front isn't even close.

[chinacub.livejournal.com]

Well, wrong term. I do know friends that have had logicboard problems. But I don't think this new iMac is particularly pricey.

Instead of "build quality", insert whatever term means "when you open the box there's coolness from the way the packaging opens up to the clip on the firewire cable that holds the cord when you wind it up".

[cpratt.livejournal.com]

Yes, there's kind of a deep coolness to Apple gear that is intensely desirable.

By pricey I meant "pricey when compared to PCs." The new iMac costs $1413 including tax here in Redmond WA; a similarly equipped Windows XP PC costs $456 less.

Compared to the $7,999 Mac IIfx, the new iMac is pretty darned cheap, though. :)

Not so white

[evanrude.livejournal.com]

We have the newer white keyboards in the labs here on campus. Imagine 20 computers, 4 classes a day, 6 days a week.....they get kind of icky FAST!

[danlmarmot.livejournal.com]

I like the new design, it's a bit more to my taste than the half-grapefruit iMacs.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's to my Mom's taste. She's been looking to replace her original Bondi iMac, and all the whiteness makes her think of a doctor's exam room. And the low end model is $1300; a low-end computer for her is in the $700 to $800 range.

So my verdict: good for hipsters. Not good for Moms (... or kids for that matter--grape juice and white white keyboards don't work, and it just doesn't look sturdy enough!)

[http://users.livejournal.com/speedy_/]

I like the design as well, I like that it is thin and leaves room in my desk for other things (palm, notepad, calculator etc.)

Hum, maybe I am a hypster !

[gusmacroy.livejournal.com]

I think it's hot, and I want to see a photo essay of you kneeling on an expensive look eurodesign desk iwith an ipod mini color scheme backdrop performing frottage with the 20" LCD, swivelling the display to match the angle of your turgid erection.

[sinnabor.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I like it. I think it's much better than the hemisphere/stalk iMac.

It's much closer to the original idea of a Macintosh - an all-in-one dingus that doesn't need anything else. Just buy this thingy, and you're set. No muss, no fuss. It's an appliance.

The shiny white plastic does get dirty. But having no texture, it's also easy to clean. From a manufacturer's viewpoint, I think it's important to have old stuff LOOK old.

It's true that they're no longer doing such "groundbreaking" design. But it's clean and simple, and simple is the value they're pushing.

I do wish they'd put the USB port, headphone jack, and power button on the front, though. Aesthetics should not trump usability.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

I agree that minimalist european is probably acceptable to most people these days. I was mostly being cantankerous (as you know well I am prone to be) and wishing for perhaps something more art. More avant.

It's just that as good a product as the new iMac is going to be it's not the magical combination of functional design, objet d'art and affordable computer for the masses that the Bondi iMac was. But that is a rare event really.

Just my $0.02

[jguy70.livejournal.com]

I have a white iBook and it has stayed very white. Not yellowing. No staining. No problems. I also have and iPod. Same result. Yes the chrome is a little scratched but I can live with that. The white is not at all dingy. I guess it really depends on the environment it is used in as well. I am a non smoker and usually have pretty clean hands when I use it. ;)

I do prefer the Ti/Aluminum enclosures but for the price difference, the white is just fine. I use a Aluminum PowerBook for work and it actually shows wear worse than my ibook. The paint seems to chip pretty easily. The white all the way through plastic doesn't have that problem.

[gr8grizz.livejournal.com]

It is written in the book of Mac that nay sayers will be put to the stake and there will be great gnashing of teeth ..... or some shit. Our lord (Steve Jobs) is watching you!

[bookbear.livejournal.com]

I'm not a computer guy, so the ebst thing I derive from your post is NEW LANGUAGE! THANK YOU for introducing me to a very interesting phrase.