IMac
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- The correct title of this article is iMac. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
| iMac | |
|---|---|
| Image:IMac transparency.png The iMac Intel Core 2 Duo 20-inch (Late 2006) | |
| Type: | Desktop |
| Developer: | Apple Computer |
| Released: | 1998 |
| Processor(s): | 1.83, 2.0 or 2.16 GHz 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo (17-inch) 2.16 or 2.33 GHz 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo (20-inch) 2.16 or 2.33 GHz 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo (24-inch) |
| Base Price: | US$999 (as of 2006) |
| Website: | Apple's iMac Page |
The iMac is a desktop computer designed and built by Apple Computer. It has been a cornerstone of Apple's Macintosh line of personal computers since its introduction in 1998, and has evolved through three distinct forms, all adhering to an "all-in-one" design ethos.
The machine enjoys a relatively high profile in popular culture due to its distinctive aesthetics and Apple's successful marketing. iMacs and other mac-computers can also be seen in various movies, commercials, and TV shows (both "real" and animated); due to their implication in video editing/film production.
iMacs have also received considerable critical acclaim, including praise from technology columnist Walt Mossberg as the "Gold Standard of desktop computing"; Forbes Magazine described the original candy-colored line of iMac computers as being an "industry-altering success".<ref>Jon Swartz (April 14 2000). Resurgence Of An American Icon. Forbes. Retrieved on 2006-11-24.</ref>
The new 24" Core 2 Duo iMacs received CNET's "Must-have desktop" in their Top 10 Holiday Gift Picks.Video
Contents |
[edit] History
Steve Jobs streamlined the company's large and confusing product lines immediately after becoming Apple's interim CEO in 1997; towards the end of the year, Apple trimmed its line of desktop Macs down to the beige Power Macintosh G3 series. Having discontinued the consumer-targeted Performa series, Apple needed a replacement for the Performa's price point. The company announced the iMac on 7 May 1998, and started shipping the iMac on 15 August 1998. The launch of the iMac was a landmark event for its time, and had a massive impact on both the company and the computer industry.
At the time, Apple was unique in producing all-in-one desktop computers[citation needed], in which the CPU and the monitor are contained in one enclosure. Many other PC manufacturers have tried to imitate this, most of which have met with little success.
Aesthetically, the iMac was dramatically different from any other mainstream computer ever released. It was made of translucent "Bondi blue"-colored plastic, and was egg-shaped around a 15-inch (38 cm) CRT. There was a handle, and the computer interfaces were hidden behind a door that opened on the right-hand side of the machine. Two headphone jacks in the front complemented the built-in stereo speakers. Jonathan Ive, currently Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple, is credited with the industrial design.
Legacy Macintosh peripheral connections, such as the ADB, SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), and GeoPort serial ports, were eliminated in favor of USB ports; the floppy drive was discarded (the first OEM to do so). Although these were aging technologies, Apple's move was considered ahead of its time and was hotly debated. For example, there was no analogous way to exchange small files with other existing machines, possibly requiring owners to buy an external USB floppy drive (the floppy drive sold well in the first few years of the iMac G3). Creating backup copies of files was slow over the USB 1.1 connection, which operates at 12 Mbit/s (1.5 MB/s).
The keyboard and mouse were redesigned for the iMac with translucent plastics and a Bondi Blue trim (Apple USB Keyboard and Apple USB Mouse). The keyboard was smaller than Apple's previous keyboards, with white letters on black keys, both features that attracted debate. The mouse was of a round, "hockey puck" design, which was instantly derided as being unnecessarily difficult for users with larger hands. Apple continued shipping the round mouse, adding a divot in later versions so that users could distinguish where the button was. Eventually, a new oblong optical mouse, known as the Apple Pro Mouse, replaced the round mouse across all of Apple's hardware offerings. A redesigned version called the Apple Mouse was produced, with the side grips white and the tension control removed. On 2 August 2005 Apple replaced the one-button Mouse with the Mighty Mouse. On 12 October 2005 Apple began shipping its new Mighty Mouse with its iMac and PowerMac computers.<ref>http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/10/17/imacfaq/index.php</ref>
A slightly updated iMac with an Intel processor was released on 10 January 2006.
[edit] Technical
Internally, the iMac was a combination of the MacNC project and CHRP. Although the promise of CHRP has never been fully realized, the work that Apple had done on CHRP significantly helped in the designing of the iMac. The original iMac had a 233 MHz PowerPC G3 (PowerPC 750) chip, with 512 KB L2 cache running at 116.6 MHz, which also ran in Apple's high-end Power Macintosh line at the time, though at higher speeds, with more expensive models shipping with 1 MB L2 cache. It sold for US$1,299, and had a 4 GB hard drive, 32 MB RAM, 2 MB video RAM, and shipped with Mac OS 8.1, which was soon upgraded to Mac OS 8.5. Parts such as the front-mounted IrDA port and the tray-loading CD-ROM drive were borrowed from the Apple laptops. Although the iMac did not officially have an expansion slot, the first versions had a slot dubbed the "mezzanine slot". It was only for internal use by Apple, although a few third-party expansion cards were released for it, including some CPU upgrades from Newer Technology, a Voodoo II video card upgrade from 3dfx, and SCSI/SCSI-TV tuner cards (iProRAID and iProRAID TV) from the German company Formac; this was removed from later iMacs. According to an article in the German computer magazine c't, the socket can be retrofitted on revision C iMacs.
[edit] Impact
[edit] Popular culture
The announcement of the iMac initially caused considerable buzz among commentators, Mac fans, and detractors in the press and on websites. Opinions were polarized over Apple's drastic changes to the Macintosh hardware. At the time, Apple was revamping its retail strategy to improve the Mac purchasing experience. Apple famously declared that "the back of our computer looks better than the front of anyone else's."<ref>http://www.computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/default/536E5950A3BB66BACC256F0100744663</ref> The distinctive aesthetics were easily spotted in public. iMacs were recognizable on television, in films and in print. This increased Apple's brand awareness, and embedded the iMac into popular culture. When released, iMacs were the best selling computers in the U.S. and Japan for months, and Apple was unable to meet demand.
Apple declared the "i" in iMac to stand for "Internet". Attention was given to the out-of-box experience: the user needed to go through only two steps to set up and connect to the Internet. "There's no step 3!" was the catch-phrase in a popular iMac commercial narrated by actor Jeff Goldblum. Another commercial, dubbed "Simplicity Shootout", pitted seven-year-old Johann Thomas and his border collie Brodie, with an iMac, against Adam Taggart, a Stanford University MBA student, with a Hewlett-Packard Pavilion 8250, in a race to set up their computers. Johann and Brodie finished in 8 minutes and 15 seconds,<ref>http://www.wap.org/journal/imac/default.html</ref> whereas Adam was still working on it by the end of the commercial. Apple later adopted the "i" prefix across its consumer hardware and software lines, such as the iPod, iBook, iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, iWeb), iWork, iSight, and iSync. The prefix has caught on for non-Apple Computer products as well.
Apple's use of translucent candy-colored plastics inspired similar designs in other consumer electronics. For example, grilling machines, portable electronics, pencil sharpeners, video game consoles and peripherals (including the Nintendo 64 which was released in special edition "Funtastic" colors) featured the translucent plastic. Apple's introduction of the iPod, iBook, and iMac G4, all featuring snowy white plastic, inspired similar designs in consumer electronic products. The color rollout also featured two distinctive ads: when the "Life Savers" color scheme was based upon the Rolling Stones song "She's a Rainbow" and the white advert had Cream's "White Room", specifically its introduction, as its backing track.
[edit] USB
The iMac was the first Macintosh computer to include a USB port. The iMac's high profile in the months and years following its release is generally credited for increasing the rate of proliferation of USB devices; it also allowed current Macintosh users to use a large selection of inexpensive devices, such as hubs, scanners, storage devices and mice. A third-party cottage industry sprang up around the iMac. Via the USB port, hardware makers could make products compatible with both PCs and Macs, though sometimes Mac driver software was required. Oddly, although USB was invented by Intel and was also available on the PC, many of these USB peripherals were made of translucent colored plastic to match the color schemes of the original iMacs. After the iMac, Apple continued to remove legacy peripheral connections and floppy drives from the rest of its product line.
The successful iMac allowed Apple to continue targeting the Power Macintosh line at the high-end of the market. This foreshadowed a similar strategy in the notebook market, when the iBook was released in 1999. Since then, company has continued this strategy of differentiating the consumer versus professional product lines. Apple's focus on design has allowed each of its subsequent products to create a distinctive identity. Apple derided the beige colors pervading the PC industry. The company would later use anodized aluminum, and white, black and clear polycarbonate plastics.
[edit] Legal action
Apple protected the iMac design with aggressive legal action against computer makers who made imitations, such as eMachines' eOne. Some manufacturers conspicuously added translucent plastics to existing designs. In 1999, Apple obtained the domain name appleimac.com from Abdul Traya, after legal intervention.
[edit] Updates
Image:IMac G3 flavors.jpg The iMac line was continually updated after initial release. Aside from increasing processor speed, video RAM, and hard-disk capacity, Apple replaced Bondi blue with new colors—initially blueberry, strawberry, tangerine, grape, and lime; later other colors, such as graphite, ruby, sage, snow, and indigo, and the "Blue Dalmatian" and "Flower Power" patterns. A later hardware update created a sleeker design. This second-generation iMac featured a slot-loading optical drive, FireWire, "fanless" operation (through free convection cooling), and the option of AirPort wireless networking. Apple continued to sell this line of iMacs until March 2003, mainly to customers who wanted the ability to run the older Mac OS 9 operating system.
USB and FireWire support, and support for dial-up, Ethernet, and wireless networking (via 802.11b and Bluetooth) soon became standard across Apple's entire product line. In particular, the high-speed interface, FireWire, corrected the deficiencies of the earlier iMacs. As Apple continued to release new versions of its computers, the term "iMac" continued to be used to refer to machines in its consumer desktop line. Later redesigns of the iMac, however, never matched the first iMac in sales.
[edit] iMac G4s, iMac G5s and the eMacs
Image:IMac.jpg By 2002, the CRT iMac needed to be superseded. The iMac G3's processor and 15-inch monitor were quickly becoming outdated. In January 2002, a flat panel iMac was launched with a completely new design. A 15-inch LCD was mounted on an adjustable arm above a hemisphere containing a full-size, tray-loading optical drive and a fourth-generation CPU (the PPC 74xx-series). Apple advertised it as having the flexibility of a desk lamp, similar to "Luxo Jr.", who was featured in a short film produced by Pixar, another venture of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Indeed, it was nicknamed the "iLamp". This LCD computer was known and sold as "The New iMac" throughout its production life, but after it was discontinued, it was retroactively labeled iMac G4. The iMac G3 CRT model was kept in production, primarily for the educational market.
The iMac G4 was incrementally upgraded. They were made available with 17-inch (43 cm) and then 20-inch (51 cm) widescreen LCDs over the following two years. By then, Apple had all but eliminated the CRT machines from its product line. However, the LCD iMacs were unable to match the low price point of the previous iMac G3s, largely because of the higher cost of the LCD technology at the time.
The iMac G3 was, by this point, obsolete and low-cost machines were particularly important for the education market, therefore, the eMac was released in April 2002. The eMac is a G4-powered Macintosh that resembles the original iMac G3 with the egg-shape encasing a flat 17-inch CRT in an all-in-one design. It was initially sold only to the educational market (the "e" stands for "education"), but Apple started selling it to the general public a month later. The eMac was essentially the 17-inch iMac that consumers had been requesting a few years earlier. By 2005 Apple had returned to selling the eMac exclusively to the educational market, presumably because of the introduction of the low-cost Mac Mini, targeted at the same market.
In August 2004, the iMac design was overhauled yet again. By that time, the PowerPC 970 chip had been released and was being used in the Power Macintosh G5 line. Famously, the Power Macintosh G5 needed multiple fans in a large casing because the PowerPC 970 is a particularly hot chip. Apple's new iMac design managed to incorporate the PowerPC 970 into an all-in-one design with a distinctive form factor that echoed the Netpliance i-Opener internet appliance. The new design of the iMac used the same 17 and 20-inch widescreen LCDs, with all of the main logic board and optical drive mounted directly behind the LCD panel; this gave the appearance of a thickened desktop LCD monitor. The iMac G5 has since been updated with a thinner design, an iSight webcam mounted above the LCD and Apple's FrontRow media interface. A 24-inch iMac was introduced in mid-2006, taking the computer line closer to professional users' speed requirements. Apple also made available at the same time a US$999 low-end iMac with a 17-inch LCD monitor.
[edit] Intel
At the Macworld Conference and Expo on 10 January 2006, Steve Jobs announced that the new iMac would be the first Macintosh to use an Intel CPU, the Core Duo. The design, features and price will remain unchanged from the iMac G5. The processor speed, according to tests run by Apple using SPEC,<ref>http://www.apple.com/imac/intelcoreduo.html</ref> is two to three times faster.
In early February 2006, Apple confirmed reports of video display problems on the new Intel-based iMacs. When playing video on Apple's Front Row media browser, some 20-inch iMacs (those built-to-order with upgraded video cards) showed random horizontal lines, ghosting, video tearing and other problems. The problem was fixed with a software update.
The current iMac ships with the Mighty Mouse, keyboard, Bluetooth and AirPort cards, an internal iSight camera, the Apple Remote for use with Front Row, and a power cord. A Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse are available for additional cost.
In late 2006, Apple introduced a new version of the iMac which included a Core 2 Duo chip and a lower price. Some reports claim that an experimental 802.11n card was also included for the first time.
[edit] Models
[edit] iMac (Tray Loading) (aka iMac G3)
| iMac G3 (tray loading) | |
|---|---|
| Image:IMac Bondi Blue.jpg The original iMac. | |
| Type: | Desktop |
| Developer: | Apple Computer |
| Released: | 15 August 1998 |
| Processor(s): | PowerPC G3, 233–333 MHz |
- August 15, 1998 — iMac 233 MHz (Revision A) (M6709LL/A). 233 MHz processor. ATI Rage IIc graphics with 2 MB SGRAM. Available in Bondi Blue only, reset hole on side panel.
- October 17, 1998 — iMac 233 MHz (Revision B) (M6709LL/B). Minor update featuring new Mac OS 8.5, ATI Rage Pro Graphics with 6 megabytes of SGRAM, reset by holding power button.
- January 5, 1999 — iMac 266 MHz (Revision C, "Five Flavors") (M7389LL/A, M7345LL/A, M7392LL/A, M7390LL/A, M7391LL/A). 266 MHz processor. IrDA port and mezzanine slot removed. ATI Rage Pro Turbo graphics with 6 MB SGRAM. Available in Strawberry (red), Blueberry (blue), Lime (green), Grape (purple), and Tangerine (orange). Price reduced by US$100.
- April 14, 1999 — iMac 333 MHz (Revision D). 333 MHz processor. Updated mouse with indentation on the button.
[edit] iMac (Slot Loading) (aka iMac G3)
| iMac G3 (slot loading) | |
|---|---|
| Image:Indigo iMac G3 slot loading.jpg The iMac (slot loading). | |
| Type: | Desktop |
| Developer: | Apple Computer |
| Released: | 5 October 1999 |
| Processor(s): | PowerPC G3, 350–700 MHz |
- October 5, 1999 — iMac/iMac DV/iMac DV SE. First revision with FireWire support, except for the 350 MHz (Blueberry) model. 350 or 400 MHz processor, slot-loading optical drive, same colors as rev C/D iMac, plus Special Edition in graphite color. Used ATI Rage 128 Pro Graphics with 8 MB of VRAM.
- July 19, 2000 — iMac/iMac DV/iMac DV+/iMac DV SE. DV+ and DV SE models upgrade slot-loading CD-ROM to slot-loading DVD-ROM drive. 350 or 400 or 450 or 500 MHz processor, colors graphite (grey), ruby (red), snow (white), indigo (blue) and sage (green). 350 MHz model (Indigo) still lacked FireWire support.
- February 22, 2001 — (patterns). 400, 500 (PPC750CXe), or 600 (PPC750CXe) MHz processor. Available in Indigo, Graphite, and "Blue Dalmatian" or "Flower Power" patterns. DVD-ROM drive discontinued in favor of slot-loading CD-RW drive (low-end Indigo model has CD-ROM). 750CXe models features a new "Pangea" motherboard with a 16 MB ATI Rage 128 Ultra graphics chip.
- July 18, 2001 — (summer 2001). 500, 600, or 700 MHz (PPC750CXe) processor. Available in indigo, graphite, and snow. 700 MHz model discontinued in January 2002 after G4 iMacs were introduced. 500 and 600 MHz models discontinued March 2003.
[edit] iMac G4 (iMac Flat Panel)
| iMac G4 | |
|---|---|
| Image:IMac G4 sunflower8.png The iMac G4. | |
| Type: | Desktop |
| Developer: | Apple Computer |
| Released: | January 7, 2002 |
| Processor(s): | PowerPC G4, 700 MHz–1.25 GHz |
The iMac G4 was one of the biggest improvements and advancements in Apple Computers' growing empire of Mac desktops. The computer was considered completely separate from the previous, half egg shaped G3 models. Some new features included a flat-panel LCD screen, with diagonal measurements up to 20 inches; tray loading DVD+CD drive; and many more features. Critics and consumers took to the new Mac style nicely, but many missed the slot loading drive that were available in earlier models. The "floating" monitor was easily adjustable, and stood at any angle around the dome-shaped bottom. Unlike previous iMac models, the iMac G4 came only in white, and was not at all translucent.
- January 7, 2002 — Apple introduces a new iMac line with three models. It has a new futuristic form factor and contains a 700 or an 800 MHz G4 processor, and is only available in white. The display is now a 15-inch LCD, easily positioned by the "swing arm" attaching it to the base. (15-inch, 800 MHz model is M9250LL/A)
- July 17, 2002 — A new 800 MHz model with a 17-inch screen and an updated GPU is added to the line. (M8812LL/A)
- February 4, 2003 — The line is slimmed down to two models, one with a 15-inch LCD and a new 1.0 GHz model with a 17-inch LCD (M8935LL/A). AirPort Extreme as well as Bluetooth are available on the 17-inch model. The 15-inch model is largely identical to the January 2002 models.
- August 2003 — The iMac 15-inch and 17-inch models are upgraded to a 1.0 GHz and 1.25 GHz G4 processors, respectively (M9285LL/A, M9168LL/A). New features are USB 2.0 and DDR memory, and they both now support AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth.
- November 18, 2003 — 20-inch screen model (M9290LL/A) is added that is capable of a 1680 × 1050 pixel screen resolution, and features a 1.25 GHz G4 processor.
[edit] iMac G5
| iMac G5 | |
|---|---|
| Image:IMac G5 Rev. A front.jpg The iMac G5. | |
| Type: | Desktop |
| Developer: | Apple Computer |
| Released: | 31 August 2004 |
| Processor(s): | PowerPC G5, 1.6–2.1 GHz |
- August 31, 2004 — Apple releases an all-new iMac line, with both the LCD screen (17 or 20-inch widescreen) and computer (including power supply) contained in a 2-inch thick flat-panel housing, powered by a PowerPC G5 processor at 1.6 or 1.8 GHz, Serial ATA hard drive (ATA in the Education Model) and an Nvidia GeForce 5200 Ultra GPU. USB 2.0, FireWire 400, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet ports, a V.92 modem, a video-out port, an analogue audio-in jack, and a combination analogue/mini-TOSLINK audio-out jack (like the one in the AirPort Express units), as well as the power button, are all arranged at the rear of the unit. The enclosure is suspended above the desk by an aluminum arm that can be replaced by a VESA mounting plate, allowing the unit to be mounted using any VESA-standard mount. Apple boasts that it is the slimmest desktop computer on the market. The iMac G5 is available in three retail models (17-inch, 1.6 GHz is M9363LL/A; 17-inch, 1.8 GHz is M9249LL/A; 20-inch, 1.8 GHz is M9250LL/A) plus one education-only model that has no optical drive, no modem, and a more modest GeForce MX4000 graphics system.
- May 3, 2005 — Apple releases "Rev. B", or the "Ambient Light Sensor" line (the name refers to a new light sensor on the bottom of the iMac that adjusts the glow intensity of the white pulsating sleep indicator light according to the ambient light). The entry model is now 17-inch, 1.8 GHz (M9843LL/A). The mid-model is 17-inch, 2.0 GHz (M9844LL/A) and the top model is 20-inch, 2.0 GHz (M9845LL/A). All models now feature 512 MB of RAM standard; the hard drive capacity is increased to 250 GB on the top model, with an option of 400 GB. Optional upgrades now include a double-layered 8× SuperDrive. All models now feature Airport Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and an ATI Radeon 9600 graphics chip with 128 MB of VRAM as standard. Also the 10/100 network interface has been upgraded to 10/100/1000. All models now ship with iLife '05 and Apple's new Mac OS X v10.4 "Tiger".
- October 12, 2005 — At the "One More Thing" event, Apple released new iMac G5s (the "Rev. C", or the "iSight" line); a 17-inch display running at 1.9 GHz (MA063L/A) and 20-inch display model running at 2.1 GHz (MA064L/A) with:
- A built-in USB 2.0 iSight camera
- A remote control called Apple Remote
- 512 MB PC2-4200 (533 MHz) DDR2; expandable to 2.5 GB total memory
- Slot-loading 8× double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
- Mighty Mouse
- A PCI-Express ATI Radeon X600 (Pro for the 17-inch model and XT for the 20-inch model) graphics chip with 128 MB DDR VRAM
- Built-in media center software called Front Row
- Horizontal input ports rather than vertical configuration.
- Thinner 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) flat panel housing with a curved rear housing
- Note: the built-in V.92 modem was removed and is now offered as the optional Apple USB Modem. The USB modem is available on the Apple Store website and also in Apple retail stores.
- In February 2006, Apple discontinued the 17-inch iMac G5 and began solely selling a 20-inch iMac G5 for US$1,499.
- The iMac G5 was completely discontinued in March 2006.
[edit] iMac Core Duo
| iMac Intel Core Duo | |
|---|---|
| Image:Imac core duo.jpg The iMac Core Duo. | |
| Type: | Desktop |
| Developer: | Apple Computer |
| Released: | January 10, 2006 |
| Processor(s): | Intel Core Duo, 1.83–2.0 GHz |
- January 10, 2006 — Apple updates to Intel processors, claiming up to 2–3× performance improvement.
- 17-inch model (MA199LL), 1.83 GHz 32-bit Intel Core Duo
- 20-inch model (MA200LL), 2.0 GHz 32-bit Intel Core Duo
- All Intel-based iMacs ship with iLife '06
- A PCI-Express ATI Radeon X1600 graphics processor with 128 MB GDDR3 VRAM - 256 MB option on the 2.0 GHz model
- 512 MB PC2-5300 (667 MHz) DDR2 SO-DIMM SDRAM; expandable to 2.0 GB total memory (dual channel capable)
- SATA hard disk (160 GB on 17-inch and 250 GB on 20-inch) with native command queuing support
- Mini-DVI output with extended desktop support (it can drive up to a 23-inch Apple Cinema Display)
- Note: Although iSight provides up to 4× resolution of iMac G5 with iSight when using iChat, it is still limited to 640 × 480 resolution.<ref>http://images.apple.com/imac/pdf/20060120_iMac_TO.pdf (PDF)</ref>
A low-end version of the 17-inch model is introduced 5 July 2006, for education customers only, replacing the eMac (now discontinued). Priced at US$899, the "Educational Configuration" iMac is the same as the regular 17-inch model but instead comes with a combo optical drive, an 80 GB hard drive, and integrated graphics (Intel GMA 950), and lacks Bluetooth and the Apple Remote. For the first week after its release this model is available to individual educators. A week after its introduction, however, it was pulled by Apple from the educational consumer online store without explanation and limited to purchases by educational institutions only.
[edit] iMac Core 2 Duo
| iMac Intel Core 2 Duo | |
|---|---|
| Image:IMac transparency.png The iMac Core 2 Duo. | |
| Type: | Desktop |
| Developer: | Apple Computer |
| Released: | 6 September 2006 |
| Processor(s): | Intel Core 2 Duo, 1.83–2.33 GHz |
- September 6, 2006 — Apple updates to Core 2 Duo (64-bit, Merom) processors with new models in four default configurations.
Apple claims these are up to 50% faster than the previous models. Apple also cuts prices on the lowest end iMac from US$1299 to US$999, and makes the Apple Remote optional on the US$999 17-inch model. Options for graphics cards include the same options as the iMac Core Duo, but the low end 17-inch model uses Intel GMA 950, and the new 24-inch model has an nVidia GeForce 7300 GT graphics card with an upgrade option of a 7600 GT. The base RAM for all but the base model is raised from 512 MB to 1 GB, and the maximum allowable RAM for all but the base model is increased to 3 GB. The 24-inch model's 1920 × 1200 resolution supports full 1080p high-definition, lending it the nickname iMac HD.
The 17-inch 1.83 GHz iMac, for a retail price of US$999, includes:
- 17-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 1.83 GHz 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
- 512 MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 2 GB;
- 24× Combo drive;
- Intel GMA 950 graphics (using 64 MB shared memory);
- Built-in iSight video camera;
- Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking;
- 160 GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
- Built-in stereo speakers and microphone;
- Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.
The 17-inch 2.0 GHz iMac, for a retail price of US$1,199, includes:
- 17-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 2.0 GHz 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
- 1 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 3 GB;
- 8× SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
- PCI Express-based ATI Radeon X1600 with 128 MB GDDR3 memory;
- Built-in iSight video camera;
- Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
- 160 GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
- Built-in stereo speakers and microphone;
- The infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.
The 20-inch 2.16 GHz iMac, for a retail price of US$1,499, includes:
- 20-inch widescreen LCD display;
- 2.16 GHz 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
- 1 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 3 GB;
- 8× SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
- PCI Express-based ATI Radeon X1600 with 128 MB GDDR3 memory
- Built-in iSight video camera;
- Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
- 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
- Built-in stereo speakers and microphone;
- The infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.
The 24-inch 2.16 GHz iMac, for a retail price of US$1,999, includes:
- 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
- Built-in LCD's native resolution: 1920 × 1200 pixels
- 2.16 GHz 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
- 1 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 3 GB;
- 8× SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);
- NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 128 MB GDDR3 memory
- Built-in iSight video camera;
- Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
- 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
- Built-in stereo speakers and microphone;
- The infrared Apple Remote, Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.
[edit] Timeline of iMac models
- See also: Timeline of Apple Macintosh models
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id:g4 value:rgb(1,0.85,0.65) legend:iMac_(PowerPC_G4)
id:g42 value:rgb(1,0.9,0.7)
id:g5 value:rgb(1,0.85,0.45) legend:iMac_(PowerPC_G5)
id:g52 value:rgb(1,0.9,0.5)
id:cored value:rgb(0.8,1,0.8) legend:iMac_(Intel_Core_Duo)
id:core2d value:rgb(0.5,1,0.8) legend:iMac_(Intel_Core_2_Duo)
id:blank value:rgb(0.99,0.99,0.99) legend:~_
id:emac value:rgb(0.65,0.65,0.9) legend:eMac_(PowerPC_G4)
id:emacl value:rgb(0.85,0.85,0.95) legend:Limited_to_education
id:current value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9) legend:Still_currently_produced
BackgroundColors = canvas:bg ScaleMajor = gridcolor:lighttext unit:year increment:1 start:12/31/1998 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightline unit:month increment:1 start:07/01/1998 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
BarData =
barset:main
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black
barset:main shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s color:g3 from:08/15/1998 till:10/05/1999 text:"iMac G3" barset:break color:g32 from:10/05/1999 till:01/07/2002 text:"iMac G3 (slot loading)" barset:break color:emacl from:04/29/2002 till:06/04/2002 color:g4 from:01/07/2002 till:08/31/2004 text:"iMac G4 15" color:g4 from:07/17/2002 till:08/31/2004 text:"iMac G4 17" $skip color:g4 from:11/18/2003 till:08/31/2004 text:"iMac G4 20" barset:break color:emac from:06/04/2002 till:10/12/2005 text:"eMac" $skip $skip color:g5 from:08/31/2004 till:01/10/2006 text:"iMac G5 17" $skip color:g5 from:08/31/2004 till:03/20/2006 text:"iMac G5 20" barset:break color:emacl from:10/12/2005 till:07/05/2006 $skip $skip color:cored from:01/10/2006 till:09/06/2006 text:"Core D." $skip color:cored from:01/10/2006 till:09/06/2006 text:"Core D." barset:break $skip $skip $skip color:core2d from:09/06/2006 till:$now text:"2 Duo" $skip color:core2d from:09/06/2006 till:$now text:"2 Duo" color:core2d from:09/06/2006 till:$now text:"24-inch" barset:break $skip $skip $skip color:current from:$now till:end $skip color:current from:$now till:end color:current from:$now till:end
</timeline>
[edit] References
<references />
[edit] External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
- Apple Computer | iMac
- Apple Computer | Apple Support Technical Specifications
- Apple Developer Connection | Comprehensive technical details
- Apple Developer Connection | iMac Core 2 Duo Developer Note
- A Quick Guide to Differentiating CRT G3 iMacs
- Everymac.com | iMac
- TidBITS issue 429
| Apple hardware since 1998 | |
|---|---|
| Consumer Macs: | iMac | iMac G3 | iMac G4 | iMac G5 | iMac Core Duo | iMac Core 2 Duo | Mac mini | eMac | iBook | MacBook |
| Professional Macs: | Power Macintosh G3 | Power Mac G4 | Cube | Power Mac G5 | Mac Pro | Xserve | PowerBook G3 | PowerBook G4 | MacBook Pro |
| iPods: | iPod | iPod mini | iPod photo | iPod shuffle | iPod nano |
| Accessories: | AirPort | iSight | Cinema Display | Xserve RAID | Mighty Mouse | iPod Hi-Fi |
| Italics denote discontinued products | |
es:IMac fr:IMac gl:IMac ko:아이맥 id:IMac it:IMac he:IMac lb:IMac nl:Apple iMac ja:IMac no:IMac pl:IMac pt:IMac sk:IMac fi:IMac sv:IMac zh:IMac
