Apple preps sub-$500 iMac

[DaBeeeenster]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/12/29/sub-500_imac/

Apple is said to be preparing a return to the 'pizza box' casings last seen in its classic LC and Performa Macs in the mid-1990s, but at this stage it's not entirely clear who the machine will be aimed at.

According to Think Secret's scoop, which cites "highly reliable sources", Apple will use Macworld Expo to launch the box, based on a 1.25GHz G4-class processor. The unit will retail for $499, the site claims.

It describes the box as a "bare bones" system, a term usually used to indicate a system unit without graphics, hard drive, memory and often even processor. However, the unit appears only to lack a display. The machine, codenamed Q88, is said to contain 256MB of memory, offer USB 2.0 and Firewire 400 ports, and provide 10/100Mbps Ethernet, 802.11b/g wireless and 56Kbps modem connectivity.

Man, I'm so buying one of these and a KVM switch for my office...

[Jonny M]

If it's $499 I will.

If it's £499 I won't.

Apple need a low cost low power unit to even attempt to capture the corporate market.

[malfunction]

Interesting... Especially the take on it being a potential HTPC / 'Living room PC'

[Jonny M]

What if it's got media streaming via Wi-Fi and TiVo-like PVR features? All for half the price of a Media Center PC - and with Apple's stylish, more living room-friendly looks...

Will never happen, not for that price.

Edit: Beenster wins the "most popular Apple Juice thread for a while" award.

[DaBeeeenster]

If it's £499 I'll buy one in the states...

[Jonny M]

You can get me one too

[DaBeeeenster]

250 notes for OSX. Plus maybe 50 quid for some more RAM. MMmmmm.

[malfunction]

Will never happen, not for that price.

Probably not - deffo an interesting idea though and it would be something apple could do very well at. If they can get people to pay £250+ for an iPod then for a (audio and video) 'iJukebox' they'd probably ask a LOT more.

Edit: Beenster wins the "most popular Apple Juice thread for a while" award.

Heh... It got >5 replies in <1 week... Doesn't that make it the most popular apple juice thread ever?

[DaBeeeenster]

Remember that 500 bucks is on a way "more" than 250 notes. It's more like 320 at "normal" exchange rates...

[Twigman]

At £320 Id buy one...but not £500.

as said above apple need a budget version of their machines. I would quite like to learn my way round apples, but their stupid prices always put me off.

[CocoPops]

I'd have one.

would look good under the sky+ box.

[BroadbandPlacey]

apple are always cheaper in the usa, e..g, the ibook in the usa is $999 and £749 in the uk, so on that theoory a $499 imac should be comming out at £325 in the uk, at which i think theyd fly of the shelf, cheaper than the photo ipod!\

id seriously consider buying one at those prices

[joshwa]

they UK price will probably be more like £375 / £399 based on the way they apple usually do things (£375 based on the ibook prices above)

< £300 would be the UK sweet spot I think - but i doubt it'll happen

[BroadbandPlacey]

my maths is shocking

yeah £375 is what i meant

[DaBeeeenster]

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?s...&tid=123&tid=3

Cant see any reason as to why they would take court action if the story did not have legs...

[BroadbandPlacey]

brilliant, looks like it cud be true