Loving iMac G5

I don't usually post about tech issues that aren't related to the blog, but I just got a new iMac G5 20" and I have to take a few moments to share my first impressions. I guess since I will be blogging from this machine, that counts.

1) The overall design is brilliant. I am upgrading from a G4 tower attached to a 21" CRT display which is enormous in its depth and footprint, as well as weighing a ton. The iMac, by comparison, takes up in practical terms literally about 2 square inches of desk space with its footprint for computer and display combined, where its "foot" actually extends up in the back. What a huge difference in terms of space management in my small office/desk.

2) The display is absolutely gorgeous. Bright, clear, big, wide, hi-res, yum.

3) The transition was ridiculously easy. What I wasn't aware of until I started the new machine for the first time is that Apple has now totally automated the transition from one Mac to another using target disk mode, where the old machine becomes an external firewire drive for the new one, enabling rapid transfer of data. This was how I was planning to do it anyway, but I was anticipating a manual process of moving over folders, reinstalling some software, testing things and trying to keep track of what I was doing over the course of several days. That is how I have done it in the past. I'm very Mac savvy but it still was a laborious process. To my very pleasant surprise this process has been completely automated, so it is a matter of plugging in the cable, clicking yes a couple of times, and then walking away while it does its thing. A little while later and the new machine is functioning flawlessly with all of my applications, settings, documents, etc. exactly where I expect them. I've got a pretty highly configured system, and it all just works. Seamless and effortless transition. Including my blog! Awesome. Though I'm sure this has been written about a lot, in reading reviews of the iMac, or new Macs in general, I hadn't seen anything about the transition being all automated and so easy now, so it was such a pleasant surprise for me. Of course that is how it should be, and the fact that it now is is just one more reason to love Apple.

So anyway, aside from just sharing my enthusiasm about it, I wanted to affirm for the record that Macs do in fact rule!

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled on-topic blogging.

UPDATE: A common complaint with the consumer Macs is their lack of sufficient RAM. The iMac comes with only 256MB built in, and when you order from one of the merchants like MacMall they will throw in another 256MB for free, with an installation fee. But even with that 512MB, I found my machine could be quite sluggish once more than a few applications were open. So I ordered a 1GB module to replace one of the 256MB (there are two slots), and it has made all the difference. Now with 1.25MB the machine has the snappiness that I expected. So my recommendation is skip the free RAM with the installation fee, and instead buy a 1GB module and install it yourself (very easy). And don't buy them from Apple. Apple tries to sell them for $400, but you can get a perfectly good module for less than half that if you shop around a bit. Just good to stick with relatively well-known brands that have proven quality.

Posted: Thu - March 10, 2005 at 02:01 AM

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Loving iMac G5

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