iMac: user-friendly taken to a new level
Written: Jun 17 '00 (Updated Jun 19 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The most user friendly computer on the market, iMovie is fantastic, G3 processor beats Pentium hands down, great first computer or kids computer, hard to mess anything up
Cons: Low-end for Macs means less RAM and HD space, but those can be fixed with easy upgrades, limited peripheral space, keyboard and mouse require getting used to
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| QueenLyssa's Full Review: Apple iMac DV Indigo 15 in. (M7639LL/A) Mac Deskto... |
I was already a Mac user before I got my iMac DV. I'd started with a Performa model and was ready to switch from the old RISC processor to the G3, but I didn't have the money to invest in a full PowerMac and really only needed something that was easy to use and could fill my home computing and internet needs. When the iMac DV came out, I knew this was the model for me.
The G3 processor runs circles around the old RISC and anything Pentium has put out. The speed here just rocks. My model came with 64 megs of RAM, something I knew I would be upgrading since I do a lot of graphics work, but adequate for most computing needs, especially with Virtual Memory on. The HD space of 10 gigs covered me well for my applications and room for working on big projects. The compact all-in-one housing fits easily into any workspace.
But lets face it, people get the iMac for its ease of use. Anyone who has used computers or shopped for them, especially for Macintosh computers, is aware of the platform wars, but iMac really puts the PC under the table when it comes to being user friendly. From box to on the internet it was 8 minutes and that includes stopping to put a cup of coffee in the microwave. When the setup instructions for a computer are plug in the keyboard, plug in the mouse, plug in the modem line, plug in the computer, turn it on, you know you've got a computer anyone can use.
Once its turned on, the iMac continues its friendliness with its setup assistants for your basic finder settings and getting on the internet. I'm fairly experienced so I was ready with sheets of info to tell it what to do but the iMac didn't need it. The online help is, as always with Apple, easy to access and interactive, taking you through the steps to accomplish most any task. There's no techno-wizardry at all required to be a Mac user, MacOS knows what's going on and let's you get on with your use while it does the thinking about the behind the scenes data.
As far as hardware goes, the iMac is not intended to be a hub for a ton of peripherals and is therefore a bit limited in what you can add on to it (there are only two USB ports provided). The keyboard is small and takes some getting used to, and the mouse is not what one would call ergonomic. My comparison would be a hockey puck with the edges smoothed off. However, the compact size (and lets face it, cute design) are definite pluses. The speakers are adequate and the cd/dvd slot is smooth and easy to work with.
There are a few software additions with MacOS 9 that showed potential but right now aren't the top-of-the-line Mac users expect. Most notable is Sherlock, which replaces the old Find utility, providing search functions for not only your drives but also the internet, however, it can be slow and clunky. The indexing of a 10 gig HD slows you up and can take hours. I'd recommend you leave this task for overnight.
Making up for Sherlock, however, is iMovie, an absolute must for camcorder owners. With iMovie you can import and edit digital images and sound, add special effects, and export the finished movie back to your camcorder or VCR, so anyone can make home movies that are actually worth watching. Try making a music video of your kids, complete with titles and credits. Or add in color commentary and play-by-play narration of a backyard basketball game, even putting in stripe subtitles with the score to make it look like the pros do. It's fun and easy. In fact, if you have a camcorder, I'd say get the iMac just for the video editing alone! (Then find out how great the rest of Mac's features are.)
The iMac is so user friendly that even people who are intimidated by computers will find themselves able to use it. For such people who are trying to decide between an iMac and a PC, think about it this way. You will probably pay a little less for a comparable PC, but what's the savings if you feel too threatened or confused to make any use of it? Pay a little more, get an iMac, and find yourself joining the tech age without having to consult your 14 year old neighbor to be able to use it.
For those of us who prefer to be able to concentrate on our creativity rather than having to constantly stop to tell the computer what to do, a Mac is a must, and the iMac is the affordable creativity partner you'll come to love.
So who should buy the iMac? Anyone who already has a Mac and wants a second Mac for another room or for a network, businesses looking for desktops for networks, college students who want a computer that won't dominate their dorm and will give a sense of funky style, kids and baby boomers who may be overwhelmed or intimidated by having to 'learn' computing.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
QueenLyssa
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Member: Lyssa Jaraba
Location: Riverside, CA
Reviews written: 64
Trusted by: 19 members
About Me:
It's good to be queen.
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