Manage updates with the Download AppAugust 7, 2007 4:28 PM PDT
Apple homeward bound with new iMacs, iLife
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Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled new iMacs with aluminum and glass exteriors, keeping the rumor mill honest this time. Apple's iMac is an all-in-one computer where the motherboard sits behind a flat-panel display, in a more streamlined approach to the traditional desktop PC.
The company also updated its software for home Mac users, known as the iLife suite. The five applications that make up iLife '08 aim to help Mac users organize "user-generated content"--that ubiquitous Web 2.0 phrase--for both internal consumption at home and showcases that can one-up the Jones' trip to Nepal.
It's been a busy year for Apple. From January to June, it seemed everything was about the iPhone, while in the interim the company has been scrambling to get Leopard, the next version of the Mac OS, ready to ship in October. However, Tuesday's event featured far less glitz and hype as Apple introduced new products for its audience of home-media enthusiasts.
Apple separates its Mac customers into two main categories: the developers and creative professionals who use its heavyweight Mac Pro desktop and MacBook Pro notebook, and the rest of us, who get iMacs and MacBooks. It's been a good year for Mac shipments, which increased by 33 percent during Apple's last quarter, but the iMac product had been stale for quite some time.
So Apple borrowed the aluminum finish that it has previously reserved for its professional products, remaking the iMac in black and silver and taking a few inches off its waist. A glass display completes the look, along with a new slimmer keyboard and Intel's latest processors.
But Jobs sped through the introduction of the new iMacs to spend most of the morning walking attendees through the improvements to iLife and iWork, Apple's suite of office productivity applications. Apple's pitch for so-called "switchers" centers largely on the iLife suite as a friendly way of organizing the pictures and videos that pile up in the Digital Age.
Shiny hardware might get customers in the door, but software is where people spend their time, and where they form an attachment with their computers. The iron curtain of the past between Windows and Apple software is more of a backyard fence these days after the success of iTunes on Windows, software like Boot Camp, and the increasing percentage of time most of us spend on the Internet, rather than using desktop applications.
So to draw curious neighbors over the fence, Jobs likes to show family-friendly applications when showing off new Macs or software, appealing to the desire of those in attendance to easily create a digital record of their children's hijinks both for posterity and for distant friends and family. For example, Jobs showed how the new iPhoto and iMovie applications can organize photos and home movies and upload them to new Web Galleries hosted by the company's .Mac service, which also now allows customers to store up to 10 gigabytes of data for $99 a year, up from just 1GB of data.
The new iPhoto application automatically sorts pictures by "events," really just compiling all the photos taken on a given day. You can "merge" or "split" events that took place over several days, or multiple events that took place on a single day.
The iMovie application was singled out as having received the greatest overhaul between iLife '06 and iLife '08. Jobs told a story about an Apple engineer who wanted to make a short home movie of his trip to the Cayman Islands, but got frustrated by how long it took to create that movie in either iMovie or Final Cut Pro, Apple's professional video-editing software. The result was iMovie '08.
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Apple iLife, Steve Jobs, Apple Computer, Apple iMac, Apple iPhoto
109 comments
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release....
At least the Mac Mini has the Core 2 Duo and has 1.83 and 2.0 GHz
avaialble.
power for the money. Apple is hitting on all cylinders!
It made me glad that I procrastinated on organizing my
thousands of iPhotos and that i procrastinated on learning
iMovie.
I knew that organizing my iPhotos was a time sink so I just never
got around to it. Ditto to using iMovie. Although intuitive, I
could see that it would take hours upon hours of diddling to
make even a short movie.
From what I've seen, I'll be using iMovie for the first time as soon
as I buy iLife 08 (even though I've owned the older versions for
over 5 years) and I'll be able to organize my iPhotos in the
matter of an hour or two instead of half a day.
It may not be a killer app, but the time savings and modest price
make it a vicious app.
Try again Apple. The iMac keeps on getting bigger, more complex, and more expensive.
In the meantime, the Mac Mini is just standing still.
How about a $300 15" iMac that schools and companies can deploy en masse. It doesn't need an optical drive, maybe not even firewire.
And how about a $200 Mac Mini, like the Mac TV, without an optical drive, without even an internal drive, just an external SATA port and a matching hard drive enclosure. It would be great for companies and home servers.
I've been a long time multi-platform user, and I use Macs, but everytime Apple clicks they manage to shoot themselves in the foot by moving upmarket.
bigger, more complex, and more expensive."
Could you be more wrong?
The 20" and 24" models are not "getting bigger"; in fact, the new
24" model is smaller than the previous version.
More complex? You might want to explain that in light of the
new iLife update that makes iPhoto, iMovie, and garageband
much simpler to use. As well, the keyboard's function keys now
make it simpler to control media, etc.
Price? The simple fact is that the new iMacs are less expensive
than the previous models, not more expensive. Moreover, they
have better software and hardware than the earlier models, thus
increasing the value at a lower price.
As for Apple shooting itself in the foot, I suppose that would
explain why they've grown Mac sales at 3X the rate of PC sales
over the 12 months? IF that's self-inflicted, I bet Dell wishes
that it could shoot itself in the foot . . . instead of the head.
the mini, but get your facts straight and dont rip on people who
pay for AIO. dont look to apple for budget computers, thats not
their market because budget computers have zero profitability. I
used to work for one of the top 3 PC manufacturers and I hated
selling low end computers because they literally lost the company
money
first difference. You get more of everything with this upgrade,
EXCEPT price.
How is that "going upscale"?
I think the iMacs will look even better in a few months when Leopard comes out. Leopard looks truely orgasmic.
Overall Apple is in a stronger position then they've ever been in, and I think they'll only get stronger. It's easy for a lot of people to hate Apple, because they're growing up and claim to have the best PCs in the business, but they're always years ahead of any machine Dell or HP are putting out and even more ahead of Microsoft when it comes to their OS. I can't wait to see what they release next year. Their products are just so amazing and exciting and fun.
Actually, their market share is already up to 5.6% in the US, putting
them in a virtual tie with Gateway as the 3rd largest computer
maker in the US. Gateway just slightly edged out Apple. Expect that
to change.
You really have to be wearing blinders to consider Apple irrelevant.
Do you think your silly, misinformed comment is going to convince even ONE person of your (misguided) viewpoint?
Are you jealous?
Are you trying to convince yourself that your own platform of choice is better?
Please help others understand!
in the market today like new cellphones with more functionality,
cheaper mp3 players & the computer OS market in general, not
to mention cheaper than usual PCs that compete with Macs
would cease to be available to the average PC enthusiast.
No matter how insignificant Apple's markeshare looks on paper
(although seemingly to me very impressive from an Apple
historic stand point) the impact they've made to the industry in
the last few years is not. It has spoke volumes on the way PC
manufacturers, Cell Phone manufacturers & Software companies
do business.
In general they have kept companies like Microsoft honest. Well
atleast a little honest given MS's asking price for Vista (which is
just a ridiculous).
Having said that, I've replaced most of the old company PCs with
new Macs because of Parallels and competitive Apple pricing. As
far as I'm concerned Apple has turned the tied by making
Windows available on Macs as an alternative to OS X.
Expect Apple to be the leading PC manufacurer in the near
future. Its gonna happen..
dedicate every issue to the Toyota Camry because it's more
interesting than a Ferrari?
Lots of people care about innovation. And typically when
something is selling huge...there is little motivation or desire to
improve or modify it. Small companies have to innovate to
survive. Although Apple can hardly be considered a small
company...they are still innovating. That's why they have always
been relevant, regardless of sales volume as compared to the
whole.
instead of trying to accomplish something useful. I'll say it once,
I'll say it until Apple lets me down... which in 20 years (my trusty
Mac Plus) hasn't let me down once. I had built a "gaming" PC,
spent well over $3500 bucks on the coolest fastest Video Card
from ATI, Gigs of RAM, Huge HDs. a 5.1 audio card. Only to be
continually tinkering with the new "updates" in peripheral
drivers, virus's and the almighty BSOD!!!!! I went back to the
homeland, got a G5 and I have found total happiness surfing the
web again, composing & editing. Its become my Multi Media
center. Anything that is common place these days as the
computer takes over our lifestyles. I just got rid of my Sprint
account to make way for my complete Apple lifestyle plan with
the iPhone. After seeing iLife and the new .mac... Apple is just
hitting homerun after homerun. Irrelevance? I wish my life could
be so "irrelevant".
Quick, you'd better tell Bill Gates so he can stop his photocopiers!
a company irrelevant. besides, Apple is growing multiple times
faster than PC's in market share and share price
Making both the hardware and the software. In your book that's a
poor result...which is why you are a multi-millionaire and Steve
Jobs is spending his time posting things on C-Net.
Right?
That's it. Market share is really important isn't it.
Too bad for Mercedes.
Last night after the new models were announced I ordered an
iMac 24" with the 2.8 Ghz processor and 750 GB hard drive.
We're going to use it with an Elgato EyeTV 310 to watch satellite
TV on it and use it as a media center.
Besides that I ordered separate copies of iLife'08 and iWork'08 to
use on my regular desktop system... iMovie should make it really
easy to quickly edit movies. I just hope all the plugins from the
old iMovie will still work in the new version.
Apple took out the cheapest product in their line, now making the lowest price for an iMac being $1199. That does tend to put it approximately double the price of a comparably equipped PC. The Mac Mini is on an extended lifespan for one more model and then- well, it doesn't seem that they are putting much behind this model. A shame as I really like the Mini, but it's not an all in one unit where they tend to make most of their money for new customers.
They will follow economics and go with what works for them. I wish them well.
To each their own. Some like PC's, some like Macs. Both do the job for different people. Use what best fits your needs. Keep your eyes and ears open, don't listen automatically to proponents that push this or that OS or platform. Educate yourself and make an informed decision.
tend to put it approximately double the price of a comparably
equipped PC.
Wrong! When you compare 'similarly configured' Macs and say,
Dells, the prices are within $20.
See here for a direct comparison -
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://systemshootouts.org/shootouts/desktop/2006/0926_dt1" target="_newWindow">http://systemshootouts.org/shootouts/desktop/2006/0926_dt1</a>
100.html
[Yes, I know that this comparison is for two older models.
Nonetheless, the comparison holds]
far as getting rid of the lowest price mac... they didn't they
replaced the 17" iMac for a single core 20" for the same price.
Not only did they replace the entire line of iMacs, they reduced
the price of the machines by $200 Dollars. Double the price of a
comparable PC.???.. name one 600 dollar PC thats loaded with a
usable software package that takes care of well over $3000 of
software (Photoshop, Word, Illustrator, AVID, Sequencers, web-
designing software, Excel, Office)
You're not adding up what really makes a computer "useful". The
iLife and iWork software packages which comes "BUNDLED" with
any new mac make this machine worth its weight in any ring.
away the mac mini. It might at best be a little faster, but to
achive this you are going to have buy some of the cheapest parts
money can buy. You are going to have a POS of a PC with
virtually no support/warrantee and your not going to be able to
play high-end video games with it either. Then add all the extras
that you get with the imac and your going to have an even more
expensive POS pc.
I use both Macs and PCs and build my own PCs. But I can tell you
from my experience at owning my own computer repair business
for many years, that the people that know how build their own
PCs make up a very small percentage of all Computers users out
there. By far the vast majority of computer users want a
computer that they can plug in and start using. They could even
care less if it's upgradable and most don't upgrade them, they
hand it down to the kids and buy a new one.
A friend still uses a 1999 HP, I added more memory and runs XP fairly decent, yet I've seen people at a local flea market, unable to sell a much newer Imac, leaving the funky piece of junk behind.
I cannot speak to your friends selling ability or the clientele at your local flea market...but your anecdotal experience is the exact opposite of the market reality around used macs. They are in very high demand, and demand a premium price.
This must be a troll because no PC from 1999 will run XP unless its entire motherboard has been replaced or it's been extensively modded - far beyond the capabilities of your typical user. And just adding RAM isn't going to get it done.
And even if by some miracle you had the one PC from 1999 that could run XP unmodded why would you? No DVD burner. For that matter no CD either. 10bT Ethernet. No USB or IEEE1394. No DVI. So what you have is an XP fish tank. Blech.
As for your claims that people can't sell a used iMac - now we now you are lying - because even the most virulent anti Mac person will admit that used Macs sell for premiums.
them when they're really old...
We've still got 2 iMac (Rev. C) from early 1999 running without
any problems.
The lime iMac runs Mac OS 9 to monitor our servers for any
failures. The tangerine iMac runs MacOS X 10.4 (Tiger) and is
used for office productivity (basic Word, Excel, Mail, Web).
An iMac DV/SE from late 1999 is being used as our backup
server -- running MacOS X 10.3 with 5 Firewire Disks (1.3 TB
total).
The only changes to those iMacs: more RAM and bigger (and
more silent) drives.
I'm still using an original PowerMac G3 (from 1997) for some
work, however it's quite loud compared to newer models. A
PowerMac G4/500 (AGP) from January 2000 sits in our data
center and is being used as a webserver for a small site (5000
visitors/day).
Our Dells and other PC's needed more upgrades over the same
time or where replaced completely by newer models. The best
use for an old PC is to put FreeBSD or Linux on them and run as
a (slow) file server.
When you look at the lifespan of those Macs, I reckon you get a
great value for your initial investment...
I sold my PowerMac G4 dual 1.25GHz machine that I bought in 2003 for $800 two months ago. This was a great machine running Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and all the latest apps. I was going to upgrade to the iMac Core 2 Duo, and that is why I sold it. I am referring to just the machine. No monitor included. Just keyboard and mouse.
Now, what 4 year old PC can I sell successfully for $800. Macs have higher resale value - period!
of Apple. And vice versa. You waste precious time and energy
trying to make people angry, and to what end? To prove you
have nothing better to do in life than insult people who use a
different type of computer! I'm typing on my lamp shade imac
purchased in 2001 (now used for work) and it handles
everything as well today as it did than. In another year or two I
may replace this old reliable lamp shade with my newer Imac
from home and continue the circle. But what does it matter that I
prefer APPLE to PC. It works for me...who cares what anyone else
thinks. But if I were you I would be a good friend and try to
convince your 1999 HP buddy that Y2K was nothing to fear. It's
time to upgrade. And while he/she is out shopping...why not
take a look at a shiny new IMAC. What could it hurt? I've yet to
meet a computer user that regretted buying a MAC.
your friend's old HP and a computer from a flee market? 1st, who
would ever buy a computer from a flee market? no wonder no one
would by it. my 2001 HP was terrible
beautifully, though it won't go online. I keep it because A) it still
works, and B) my new I Mac is so popular, I sometimes have to
deal with a waiting list in my own home to use it. All of the PCs I
have owned have died, usually at the most inconvenient time
possible : #. I will never buy anyything but Apple computer
products. Life is stessful enough. Why invite anythinginto one's
home that will make you cry and need Botox when you can buy
something akin to a work of art that also feels like the most kind
and intuitive personal assistant you'll ever know?
pay shipping costs. Viruses included at no extra charge. I can't
GIVE away an old PC. There is NO after market for old PC's.
I see them in thrift stores all the time but oddly I never see any
Macs. I'd like to know what flea market someone is selling old Macs
at because I'd like to pick one or two up cheap for my kids. So,
what flea market and where?
The computer manufacturers love to sell us more stuff to boost their profits and fill up our landfills.
Anyway, you have to applaud Apple for making an attempt at
making their company as "green" as possible. Aluminum casing,
Glass screens... Apple is just knocking the crap out of any
computer company out there, integrating useful tools in our
computer organized lifestyles.
better and cheaper. If you have an iMac for 3 to 4 years then youd
probably get a new monitor. 3-4 years ago i was using and eMac
and i didnt cry about my integrated CRT when I bought a new iMac
with an LCD. In 3-4 years we won't use LCD's or they will be so
cheap that youll get a bigger one or one with better resolution
2. GIVE it to a family member that does not need the "brand new Mac".
3. Use it as a media server / entertainment center / record TV shows
4. iMac can drive another monitor, so cable your old MAC to your new MAC & have a dual monitor system.
5. SELL it on EBAY & buy your new AIO MAC.
6. Get a clue.
NEVER used anything else outside their Microsoft world (oh
yeah, visiting a local store, messing around with a Mac's mouse
for a couple of minutes and clicking on a few program icons
doesn't give you ANY sort of privilege saying "been there, done
that")
As for the 1999 HP, you know both you and your friend are lying
to yourselves when you are saying "runs XP fairly descent".
Unless he has stuffed it with +1GB memory, turned off ALL of
XP's visual effects and is not using the PC for anything other
than Office 97/2000 and Internet Explorer, you are either using
pre-2K software or you haven't been outside your house to see
what Intel Core 2 Duo machines are doing now days.
On the hand, I have a 1999 G4 Mac (PIII equivalent) that has only
got 'faster' and more efficient all these years. And that's because
every new Mac OS X released has the 'tendency' to make older
machines to run faster and do even more stuff that they used to
(in opposition to every new Windows version, that 'demands' a
PC to have a hefty amount of memory and processor as
minimum specs, or more...)
Oh yeah, and I speak out of 2 decades of experience on most
popular platforms (Mac, Linux, Windows) due to the nature of
my work. Not as aν average biased, undereducated, MS fanatical
PC user...
fondling the mouse of one at a Fry's or CompUSA.
the iMac?
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.apple.com/imac/specs.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.apple.com/imac/specs.html</a>
A buddy of mine, who is a manager at the Apple Store just found out himself - can't play some of the newer Xbox360 games without "N".
I would have an OS/2 or eComStation, but Commander Spock has been too mean to those of us who use Windows and Linux, so I will exclude OS/2 from my OS choices on my LAN at home. You can thank Commander Spock for me not supporting OS/2 or developing software for it. I will; however, develop software for and support Mac OSX, Linux, and Windows.
Personally, I'd rather eat real food and I'd rather use an Apple. But
that's just me . . . and increasingly millions of other people.
But to each his own, so . . .
Bon appetite.
As an option you can buy XP and install it on the desktop and laptop instead of Vista or go the free route and install Linux on them instead.
month.
I've been watching IT industry columnists switch to Macs over the
last few years. They wanted to actually try them and put them to
the test (rather than parrot what they "hear" about them).
Once Mac, never back.
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.szovegek.com/szovegek/lou-reed/index.php" target="_newWindow">http://www.szovegek.com/szovegek/lou-reed/index.php</a>
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.szovegek.com/szovegek/ocean-colour-scene/index.php" target="_newWindow">http://www.szovegek.com/szovegek/ocean-colour-scene/index.php</a>
I know... you could use OpenOffice or some other office product on the PC. Who does that? Really. Not many people who think of the computer as a tool to just get things done. If you like messing around with computers as I do, you can load Linux or Solaris x86. Heck, go load up Plan9 and geek out. That type of person, like me, never buys a whole system from Dell. They build computers from scratch. For the rest, I believe my comparison is fair. For everything you get in the Mac, it is not that expensive compared to the PC alternative.
Apple, Sun, IBM and HP are really all that's left of complete system integrators. IBM and HP really only still make a whole stack for Unix and other backend server applications. Sun is always trying to appear to be on the desktop and on your phone but who knows what they are anymore. Apple still makes personal computers with a non-MS operating system. That's intriguing compared to the 5 year OS cycle for MS.
Computer press [CNET being an example] have to have something to write about. 90% of the people reading news.com.com.com.com don't care about SAN virtualization or legacy Mainframe apps working with a new MQ on linux. They need easy to understand basic computer news. Apple, Intel, AMD, Cisco, MS, and PC/console gaming fit that description quite well.
If you don't understand all the basics behind that, you're daft.
command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9029458&intsrc=hm_list
Parallels, VMware virtualization.