New iMacs, iLife '08 appear at Apple Stores [photos]
updated 08:10 pm EDT, Tue August 7, 2007
New iMacs, iLife '08
On heels of its announcements this morning, Apple began showcasing the new iMac lineup at its California store locations, including its flagship San Francisco store -- which received both the low-end 20-inch iMac and the 2.4GHz 24-inch offering, but there was no sign of the overclocked 24-inch iMac running at 2.8GHz. The store also continued to showcase its older white/previous-generation iMacs. When we arrived, employees had roped off the new iMac area and were busy setting up the new iMacs, shining and testing them, and installing the demo software while a crowd began forming around the area.
Store officials said that the new sleeker iMacs are expected to continue to arrive daily -- one even joked hourly, but there was no word on whether its retail stores would soon be stocking the high-end 2.8GHz model. The new models seemed to be popular among the crowd -- especially the new slimmer keyboard, the higher resolution, built-in iSight camera, and the brilliant colors on its glossy display.
The new iMacs also attracted curious store employees who were eager to explore the new iLife '08 applications, including the all-new iMovie HD application, which brought a new interface and several new features. Users were also eagerly exploring new options on in iWeb '08. The store did not have new wireless keyboards in stock and said they didn't know when to expect them.
awful new keyboard
08/07, 08:54pm reply
That new keyboard is horrid... it's clearly a laptop design, possibly the same parts as the Macbook, and that means it's going to be a horrorshow for anyone suffering from RSI.
Not that the keyboard it replaced was all that great.
resuna
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2005
unpacking the new iMac
08/07, 10:25pm reply
Just a few photos of our new baby as we unpacked it:
http://homepage.mac.com/noiliang/PhotoAlbum56.html
Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
Woohoo!
08/08, 07:34am reply
Pictures of someone unpacking their mac!
BTW, how come Apple promotes these as all-in-one computers, yet apparently the stores realize the speakers on the things suck so bad they need to put external ones on them when on display?
LouZer
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Joined: Nov 2000
speakers and tattoos
08/08, 08:25am reply
"speakers on the things suck so bad they need to put external ones on them when on display"... because there is so much noise in the store from all the people applying "hair product" that they need external speakers to hear over that. the built in ones work fine for listening at sane levels.
Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
re: speakers
08/08, 09:21am reply
because there is so much noise in the store from all the people applying "hair product"
OK, not being one who hangs out at malls and apple stores all day, what kind of 'hair product' are people applying in the apple store, and how the h*** does it make so much noise?
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
speakers
08/08, 09:30am reply
BTW, how come Apple promotes these as all-in-one computers, yet apparently the stores realize the speakers on the things suck so bad they need to put external ones on them when on display?
That's a bit like saying that all hifi systems should have built in speakers (i.e. moronic)
I don't know much about speakers but even I know that you have to have a reasonable separation for that new fangled "stereo" feature to work, and that the right (best) separation is quite a subjective thing. For different people, it will depend on how far back they sit and just how big (and forward pointing!) their ears are. Or maybe Louzer has just one ear?
chucker
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Mar 2007
Glare
08/08, 12:14pm reply
These extra glare screens are going to be the death of the iMac as we know it. What customer was Steve referring to who told them they wanted these things. Every picture I have seen sows some type of reflection, I can't use this to do anything but watch a movie in a dark room. I really wanted one of these, every thing else about the system (Speakers excepted) looks great.
jstephe
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2006
3rd Pary Vendors
08/08, 12:21pm reply
Someone has to come up with a solution, I was thinking a cling on anti glare sheet, but they usually end up with bubbles under them and that would look terrible.
Has to be some solution.
jstephe
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2006
re: awful new keyboard
08/08, 02:16pm reply
The keyboard is the same "chicklet" design as the MacBook, which some people prefer over the 'standard' keyboard designs. I don't have one myself, but the ones i've used at the stores I've liked -- they felt snappier than a typical keyboard.
If you're suffering from Repetitive Stress Injury then you'll have to use a non-standard keyboard anyway--perhaps one of those split keyboards. ( From what I gather, all keyboards are bad for us as they force hands into a higher-stress position for long durations. some folks have designed keyboards that are split in two and positioned vertically to combat such things. these would probably be harder for Apple to market though. )
Hobeaux
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2002