Comments on: Apple’s new 27 inch iMac designed to also work as a display

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:03:43 +0000

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This post was mentioned on Twitter by DanielEran: New: Apple’s new 27 inch iMac designed to also work as a display – http://tinyurl.com/yfj2lzc...

By: cy_starkman

cy_starkman — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:26:09 +0000

@broadbean

I also wondered the same thing, the notion of upscaling 1080p. It’s an interesting move.

@Elpilei

Maybe, but what might be more supported and market engaging are Game Consoles, BluRay, Digital Camera etc – to iMac.

This I dare say is the toe test for the less legendary but more fabled Apple Television (as opposed to the cut down mac-mini style AppleTV)

By: broadbean

broadbean — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:52:43 +0000

@cy_starkman
Apple has always been able to hold their own with laptops – unless you cheat by claiming your xyzPC laptop has a “bigger” screen and built-in VGA ports and four USB ports etc ;)

It’s always been the desktop range that had a harder time competing with expandable/powerful mid-level PC desktop boxes. Then even if you do get a nice Mac mini, it “cheapens” the brand when you can’t whack a nice but reasonably priced Apple monitor as it starts the range with a pretty expensive 24-inch LED display…

As for the point of this article. I wonder how well Full HD (1920 x 1080p) will upscale to 2560 x 1440…

By: Akie

Akie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:30:08 +0000

If a MacBook Pro is connected to the new iMac using it as a display, how is the audio handled? Is it just a separate cable to use the iMac speakers?
Does the wifi work on the MacBook Pro when it closed, so it can talk to Airport Expressed connected to external speakers?

By: Ephilei

Ephilei — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:17:25 +0000

Is there a reason Apple doesn’t make this special cable? It makes every other cable. Given the only reason to make this cable is for people with both this model of iMac AND a recent Macbook (that’s $2,200 plus), it may be a long time before anyone bothers to make it. And if you have a powerful iMac, why would you use your less powerful macbook instead? You’d save a ton of money by ditching the iMac and buying a regular display. I’m sure some people would, but those are niche situations for a tiny niche market.

By: cy_starkman

cy_starkman — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:35:58 +0000

There are a number of interesting things about the new iMacs. Apple IMHO has really delivered in this new update. The critics, shills and fanboys are going to have a hard time with this one one; in fact over on engadget where normally such articles attract waves of negative comments it has been unusually quiet and positive.

I’ve wondered for some time why Apple hasn’t offered display input in it’s iMacs and even now I find it curious that the 21″ model doesn’t as it offers 1080p.

Slightly off topic. While I know Daniel publishes to an international audience so Australian specific news isn’t going to make the page this update is very significant. Apple only changes pricing at each product refresh and it (seems) based on the currency exchange. As such the price drops which were delivered early this year translated into higher prices in Australia. Now though it’s a whole new story. The white MacBook in particular is now $1299 AUD. I took a trip to Harvey Norman (a sort of bestbuy that doesn’t sell macs only iPod/iPhone) yesterday to look at 13″ laptop pricing. This new offering smashes the competition, the closest 13″ was an Acer with CoreSolo for $1350, and Sony who offered C2D was at $1999.

This marks a turning point where the Apple product is actually cheaper and offers more than others in the category. Same with MBP pricing which has tumbled in some cases near $1000 (considering speed bumps etc) making a 15″ with dedicated gfx a $2600 decision vs a $3300 one.

I’ve heard that MS has been preparing AU laptop hunter ads. It’s going to suck to be them cause as of yesterday Apple has become the cheapest in some categories and neck n neck otherwise.

The small iMac also saw the return of the $1599 buy in which is excellent, it’s an easy choice.

Apple’s desktop consumer line has often taking a ribbing from the MS cheersquad for it’s last years performance (with no accounting that it is a laptop in a desk mounted enclosure) but with 16gig, 2TB, 16:9, 27″ and i5 and i7 options the only things left to grumble about are the front facing apple logo (rolls eyes) or that the “edge to edge” screen is a -bit- of spin by apple, which it is considering the large black bezel under the glass.

In fact with a buy in of $2199AUD for the base 27″ vs $2800 for a 30″ cinema display may as well buy the iMac as a monitor that can serve as a 2nd computer or “headless server” LOL.

Actually now there is a question Daniel, can the 27″ still run headless when being used as a display?

Whew that was a long one

By: nini

nini — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:51:22 +0000

One thing about this is it’s plenty decent if not a little late on. If nothing else about the 27″ iMac makes it sell well (or, for me, consider buying a desktop again) it’ll be the fact that you can use it as a standalone monitor. I mean besides all the other loveliness that it has, never considered an iMac seriously until now.