Rating: 
Summary: A Very Impressive Machine
Review: Overview:
This is a very impressive machine--it is fast, stable and easy on the eyes. Flat screen floats in the air and is easy to adjust, and it is easy to use all existing Macintosh applications. Apple's new operating system and this new iMac go together perfectly; I highly recommend this machine to Mac and PC users alike.Details:
I purchased this machine as an upgrade to an original G3 iMac. My main reason for the upgrade was for the FireWire connection, so I ould play around with iMovie. The other big reason was that this iMac looked great on paper. Now that I have it hooked up, it is even better. The transition from OS9 to OSX is fairly smooth, after using X for two days I feel at home with it, except for a few keyboard shortcuts that are not familiar yet.
This machine doesn't seem to crash, which is quite impressive. If an application does hang, force quitting is an easy process. My old iMac and my Windows machine at work both tended to die when one of the open applications hung up. This new iMac has not had that issue, the Unix base is doing its job! General Pros:
The machine is beautiful :)
From what I've seen, it is crash-proof
Flat-panel display is easy on the eyes compared to CRT displays
Compatibility with older applications
Hard drive is nearly silent... a big improvement over the noise of the older iMacs, and the noise of most Windows machines.
A few cons:
Superdrive is kind of noisy when you first insert CDs & DVDs
Speakers look cooler than they sound. Sound is OK, but not spectacular... On a side note, Apple seems to have worked some of the kinks out of Speech Recognition...this version listens and responds quickly. If you have ever wanted to control your computer without lifting a finger, now is the time to try it. Overall, I definitely encourage the purchase and use of this machine!
Rating:
Summary: A note about software and the Macintosh
Review: I was reading these reviews and enjoying the experiences that people have had with their new iMac. Especially the PC Converts (welcome back from the Dark Side). There was one post that annoyed me that I must speak out against. The "no software" myth that has been clinging to the Macintosh for years. There is more than enough software for the Macintosh. True, some programs still need to be ported to OS X, but in all there are about 15,000 applications for the Macintosh. Just about any program you have on the PC is on the Mac, and if it isn't there is a very viable alternative that will work just the same or better. Games. There are not as many games for the Mac as there is for PC. This is true. But how many games do you need? How many different First Person Shooters do you have to have to feel complete? Games on the Mac that are here are top quality and most times of better quality than the PC counterparts. As for connecting a Mac to a LAN for a party....easier than connecting a PC. True, you won't be playing FPS 156.02321rev213.fb3126 with your buddies, but you will be fragging on Unreal, Quake, and all of the other major titles just as easily on the Mac as on your PC. Hardware/Peripherals: Made for the Mac. Easy as pie. Many PC componants work as well. All hard drives, most memory, USB Mice, joysticks, gamepads, printers, scanners, etc. Got USB of FireWire? Either the OS supports it or there is a driver for it. True, some hardware will not work regardless of the connector, but about a 50/50 chance: It will or it won't. :) For anyone looking to buy an iMac: do it. Now. You will be so happy with the machine, OS , software and all other parts of your computing experience that Windows will look like Bran Flakes compared to the sweet goodness of Frosted Flakes or Lucky Charms. Why drive a Pinto when you can have a Benz or BMW?
Rating:
Summary: Fom WinXP to Mac OS X with the iMac
Review: I am an happy convert! I still have my old WinXP notebook to run some old software, but it is the last Win machine I bought.
I first used a DVD burner in Windows XP Pro... Lost 3 days to crashes to conver 1x 1hour movie from a digital camera (in a 1GHz notebook with 512Mb RAM and 50Gb in 2 hard drives). With this iMac? 3 movies or more in a day.
The LCD monitor has no comparison even with a good LCD in WinXP (XP has much better handling of fonts than previous versions).
AppleWorks is a good enough "Office" for my home needs. iDVD, iMovie , iTunes and iPhoto is "dream" software.
Besides "everyone buys Windows" I don't know why I didn't buy one Mac before...
Rating:
Summary: I think, therefore iMac!
Review: Just look at this machine. The design is a work of art in and of itself. Beyond that, it's a Mac. That's a very good thing. I've been using Macintosh for about 18 years, so believe it when I tell you that the Unix based OS-X is everything it promises and more. Infitiely more stable than any operating system you're likely to have used. Once again, with Apple where there is function, there is form. The OS-X desktop is a thing of beauty as well, highlighted by the "dock" which allows easy access to programs that you most often use. Beyond the crystal clarity of the flat screen monitor, the new iMac features the fastest processor available on a consumer Mac, a 60-gig hard drive, and the SuperDrive. For those of us who've gotten hooked on iMovie, the SuperDrive is a dream come true. With a bit of formatting through iDVD, you can burn your own DVDs. Or, through iTunes and iPhoto, your own CDs and CD-ROMs. The best part is that all of these programs are included free with the machine. I would recommend a RAM upgrade though. 256 mb just won't keep this baby happy for too long.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding product!!! I'll NEVER buy a Windows PC again!
Review: I've used Windows/DOS computers since 1986 - IBM, Gateway, Compaq, & Dell. Without doubt, Macs are FAR SUPERIOR! They are the BMW/Mercedes/Porsche/Rolls Royce/Lamborghini (all rolled into one) of computers. In the first place, my Windows XP-run computer crashes at least once ever day ... often times more than that! Macs hardly ever crash at all, sometimes running for several weeks before needing to be rebooted. Plus, the Macs are significantly faster. Processing at 128 bits - rather than Window's meager 32 bit chunks - the Mac's run smoother, faster, and better. And best of all, with Connectix's Virtual PC, one can run absolutely ANY Windows based program on a Mac ... all without the operating system repeatedly crashing for no explained reason. In other words, Windows based programs run BETTER and faster on Macs than they do on a Windows PC.... But if you're ready to finally move up into a higher class of computers, then buy a Mac. You'll never go back!!
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: This computer has it all. Contrary to the erroneous review by BRUCE W FAIRCHILD JR, you will NOT have a problem writing papers on your Mac and taking them to school or at your job and working on them. You see, with AppleWorks, the free word processor, spreadsheet, drawing, painting, Presentation program that comes with the iMac, you can choose to save it in multiple formats, such as Microsoft Word. Oh, and if you want to pay for a word processor, you can buy Microsoft Office for Mac. People who write reviews should know the facts (BRUCE W FAIRCHILD JR) This machine is FAST. It comes loaded with CD burning software, photo editing software, Digital Video Editing software that actually lets you port it back out to videotape (try doing this with Window's MovieMaker) If you want to burn to a DVD, well there is iDVD for you. Nothing else left to buy.
It comes with iTunes (again, FREE) that lets you burn mix CD's, access Internet Radio, or link up to your iPod. As for BRUCE W FAIRCHILD JR's remark in his "review" that the only people who should buy this are those that plan to NEVER use a PC, I say buy this because you HAVE to use a PC. Why, because, speaking from experience, I can't wait to get home and work on my iMac after working all day on a PC. Macs are FUN to use, EASY to use, and hey, they just WORK better.
Rating:
Summary: PC User NO MORE
Review: I've made the switch and am I happy! This is a fantastic machine. Haven't had a system crash since I first turned it one. In fact, there's no real reason to turn it off. Use one of these for a month and you'll never go back to Windows...I love it!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Great industrial design, dead pixels detract from experience
Review: First, some background: I've been a Mac user since 1995. I've been a PC user since 1988. I use both at work every day where I'm involved with Quality Control as it pertains to web sites and CDROM's for both PC and MAC. So I consider myself an unbiased user of both platforms. Having said that, when I saw the new iMac, it looked like it would be the perfect home computer appliance. I like Macs because they set up quickly with very little hassle and are very easy to operate. I ordered one as soon as I could and it arrived yesterday. Here are what I consider the positives and negatives of this computer. POSITIVES: The new iMac is one of their best looking computers yet. It is stunning and very ergonomic. It's very fast, and the Superdrive is great. My iPod connected effortlessly. iPhoto simply rocks, and it recognized my camera immediately (Canon Powershot) as well as my Epson printer. No more searching for photos on my harddrive. DVD playback was great with 768MB of RAM. Overall, I am very impressed with it. On the other side of the coin are the NEGATIVES: OSX is still in its infancy, yet it is preloaded on the system. While this may be just what the doctor ordered for UNIX geeks, as a family computer, it still isn't supported by enough software manufacturers...yet. Yeah, you can boot in classic mode, but I still think for an entry level consumer computer, OSX is still too early to have as standard on this machine. But I guess you have to force the issue somehow, and Apple has opted to do it on all their models. Nice OS, but a bit too showy. I like form+function, not form to the exclusion of function. Apple gets it right for the most part, but there are a few areas where their OS just isn't very intuitive. Speaking of which, they are still shipping this computer with a one button mouse. Come on Apple, get with the times! Form+Function! In addition, there are very few games out there for the Mac, and the ones that are out there appear to be buggy (I installed Age of Empires II and it crashed twice since yesterday in OSX, with the update!). Upgrading the memory was painless for the most part (except the screwheads on the bottom have a tendancy to strip)...but in order to get up to the 1GB they advertise it can be maxed out to, you have to pay to have it professionally installed, or void your warranty. Hmm...tough choice. Pay Apple's exhorbitant memory costs straight out, or put it in yourself. But the worst thing of all is that my screen came with three dead pixels on it. To some, this may not be an issue, but to me it is. Sorry, black dots over white OSX windows are very distracting. And red LED's popping out at you while you are watching DVD's detracts from the whole experience, and it's even more of a letdown after having just opened their wonderful packaging. I called Apple, and they were not helpful at all, and refused to replace/repair it. Suddenly the threat of voiding my warranty by adding memory myself seems to matter little. I'm just happy I bought from Amazon; they have agreed to let me return the computer since it is defective. I will keep trying until I get one without dead pixels. It is a very nice looking and fast computer. Is it worth the money? Well...I can burn DVD's and CDR's and the Apple iPod and iPhoto rock. You can't buy a PC that looks this good and does all this at ANY price. I just wish Apple spent more time focusing on quality control as it pertains to their screens. If mine didn't have any dead ones, and their customer support people were more helpful and courteous, I would have given this computer a five. PS: After I wrote this review, I discovered some OSX issues that were a pain: 1) My Epson printer disconnects if accessing any program in OS9 Classic mode while in OSX...forcing me to reboot in OSX in order to print. 2) iPhoto is great for sorting photos, but not very good in the editing department. Maybe it's just the lack of driver support options with my Epson printer, but it is a real pain to change printer output settings...when you click Print Preview in iPhoto, preview the image, then go back to iPhoto, your printer settings you just chose are not saved. I just got the new iMac in the mail from Amazon and no dead pixels...but the mouse was stuck in the click down position. I knew what was wrong right away, and swapped it out with the one I was going to send back. I wonder if a new Mac user would have figured out that the mouse was defective? But these are small complaints. Overall, I am very impressed with this computer...I just think Apple needs to focus on the quality of what they are shipping.
Rating:
Summary: Former PC user finds new love
Review: This is my first new Apple since the IIe. OS X is what nailed it for me. It's a GUI based Unix system. Virtual PC running XP isn't too bad. It needs at least 512MB of RAM. It feels good to get out of the "CPU speed upgrade cycle".
Rating:
Summary: Great Computer
Review: I recently tried the new imac line at an apple store, and let me tell you, all that [stuff] about mac being bad is not true. What is true is the hype about the speed of the processor. That thing flies. After years of being disappointed by pcs that are slow, crash and have so many issues that by the time they are configured to work correctly, you need to upgrade a component [messing] it up again or get a new pc, i feel that its time to go with the dependability of mac and its unix based os. Also, i figure that if pretty much every graphic arts/ music company use mac and have used them for years, mac must be doing something right. My only concern with this is the video card. With the GeForce4 out and the appearance of video cards with 128mb memory, the GeForce2 with only 32mb of video memory seems unimpressive, and if the video card recquirements continue to rise as quickly as they have been doing on the newer games, the mac will soon not be able to run any of the major gaming titles. All in all, new mac good...
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