Originally posted by slur
Too much like the cube.
Could the iBlob be the hub of your digital lifestyle? Firewire and USB connectors make it easy to attach a myriad of little translucent rectangular devices with Apple logo on the back. But what else can you attach to this lamp-like appliance? How much memory can you add? Get ready for the Inquisition once more, Apple!
Um, how in the WORLD is this like the cube? The cube was priced at $1799 for a G4 processor and a DVD-ROM. This thing is priced, low-end, at $1299. For a G4 processor, and probably at least a CD-RW, if not a combo drive, in the low-end flat panel one.
The original iMac was priced at $1299. REMEMBER? And it didn't fail miserably.
The display sits too high.
According to ergonomic principles the top edge of your display should be level with your line of sight or even a little lower for extended usage periods. Sitting on my desk the iBlob
That's what it looks like, but I'll bet if you actually put it on your desk it'll be fine. None of us has seen one of these in person. Plus, from the TIME cover you can see that it tilts forward bringing the display down a bit.
The display is too small - it's an iBook display.
Simply a matter of the display being disproportionate to the base. If the base were smaller or separate from the display it might make a difference. An awful lot of folks familiar with the iBook are going to scoff because you get hardly anything more than you get with an iBook - without the portability. Even if it's a G4 machine it won't do much to convince anyone. Photoshop benchmarks will not sell this appliance.
Not true. It is a 14" screen. As far as viewable area goes, it is much larger than the iBook's screen, and larger than the CURRENT iMac's screen.
Expandability expandability expandability
I can't see a DVD slot on the front, can you? What about PCI slots? These questions are going to be relevant if this machine comes in above the $999 price point. The iBlob is poised to inherit the iMac mantle, but it's a very new appearance for a computer and can't avoind inheriting the legacy of the Cube as well. How can this be successful? Only on the merits of its features.
What, did you expect the iMac to magically become a PowerMac G4 overnight? God, the iMacs have NEVER had expandibility. As long as there is a convenient way to upgrade the RAM (which I'm sure there is), it's a great product. Seriously, get down to reality. The iMac is NOT going to be expandable.
Versatility versatility versatility
The venerable CRT-based iMac had the benefit of familiarity. It was immediately evident to anyone who saw it that it was a console. It might sit atop a swiveling base but it would remain otherwise stationary. The iBlob has the appearance of a modular system but it probably isn't. The screen probably swivels but I'm guessing it will not be removable. You won't be able to hook another computer to its display for presentation purposes.
Where can one envision such a machine living? I see it in the corner of a countertop, in a boutique, atop a restaurant podium.... This is not a computer made to sit down at, but to stand near. But even for these uses the base is a bit too large. Maybe this is why I favor two separate pieces.
After all of Apple's hype the iBlob is not likely to receive the accolades it probably deserves on some level. I just hope Steve doesn't feel compelled to bring out the team of "special" people who gave birth to this ugly duckling. Time will tell if it is to become a swan or end up as carrion for buzzards.
A lot of people said the same thing about the iMac when it first came out. And it has grown on people. The all-in-one design is a GREAT benefit, because out of the box you get great software and hardware and don't need to get anything else. I'll bet you everyone's going to harp on the form.....
.... and then everybody's going to buy one.
Final judgement? Reserve it until you actually see one. But keep your expectations realistic --- this is not a PowerMac. The cube was basically Jobs' attempt to get a low-priced G4 into the product line that would fit between the iMacs and the PowerMacs (it was only this after the price point was dropped to $1299). Now that it's gone, and these new iMacs sport G4 processors, we don't need that anymore. In a sense, it's taken out the need for a intermediate product. So, no, I don't believe this will go the way of the cube.
