I thought it might be fun to discuss Apple's current product line and what might be done to improve it. I've been thinking about it, and here's my take:
The Mac mini serves a nice niche and should be kept around, but needs an update. However, another option might be to bridge the gap with the
tv and combine the two. Add a bit more computing capacity & optical drive whilst keeping the price below $500, and make "internet" an option on the front row menu that comes up, like the Wii does with its "internet channel". This would allow people to replace a great many electronic components in their house.
The rumor about the iMac going higher end got me thinking about two things:
The iMac is very nice, but for me suffers from one major problem: it only supports one hard drive. Apple constantly keeps expanding the amount of valuable digital content, yet the consumer machines don't have any capacity for RAID or nice backups. And I'm suffering from USB overload on my iMac: USB storage devices work, but they are annoying and not very elegant.
Also, it's kind of amazing that Apple doesn't sell a Mac. Not a MacBook, Mac Pro, Mac mini or iMac - just a plain Mac.
Apple needs to offer a tower/media center option, that can be used as a main consumer workhorse for iLife stuff, transcoding video, productivity apps. It should have 4 HDD bays, and be easily RAID configured. It should have a low power server mode, when it's just serving up the digital content, or a full usage mode when someone's using it for work. It could work seamlessly with theTV for purchasing digital content as well.
Next: for all of the grief Palm has gotten in the press for its Folio, there's something about the general concept I like; although, instead of a "smart phone extender", I would love to have it function as a "desktop extender" (that works with your smart phone too). I'd like to invest into a nice, powerful desktop for doing real work on that can also function as a media server, but I'd also like a portable component, something very portable and affordable (like an Asus Eee) that automagically syncs with my desktop (even a MacBook is too large, heavy and expensive). The iPhone will certainly suit some people for this, but others (like me) would like the bigger screen/keyboard/more storage, something to replace their day planner. This device should also be a great e-book reader.
IMO this would smooth out the product line and crystallize the purpose of each device, because right now there are some awkward holes. The average consumer house could have:
Tv, a MacTablet, and an TvMini for my and my wife's parents for Christmas.
The Mac mini serves a nice niche and should be kept around, but needs an update. However, another option might be to bridge the gap with the
tv and combine the two. Add a bit more computing capacity & optical drive whilst keeping the price below $500, and make "internet" an option on the front row menu that comes up, like the Wii does with its "internet channel". This would allow people to replace a great many electronic components in their house. The rumor about the iMac going higher end got me thinking about two things:
- I wonder if Apple might resurrect the previous iMac's unique LCD stand, in order to bring the screen close to the user for a multi-touch interface? Get rid of the mouse altogether!
- The biggest gap in Apple's lineup IMHO is the lack of a reasonable tower. The iMac has use limitations, and the towers are massive overkill for the average home user (in price, function and power requirements).
The iMac is very nice, but for me suffers from one major problem: it only supports one hard drive. Apple constantly keeps expanding the amount of valuable digital content, yet the consumer machines don't have any capacity for RAID or nice backups. And I'm suffering from USB overload on my iMac: USB storage devices work, but they are annoying and not very elegant.
Also, it's kind of amazing that Apple doesn't sell a Mac. Not a MacBook, Mac Pro, Mac mini or iMac - just a plain Mac.
Apple needs to offer a tower/media center option, that can be used as a main consumer workhorse for iLife stuff, transcoding video, productivity apps. It should have 4 HDD bays, and be easily RAID configured. It should have a low power server mode, when it's just serving up the digital content, or a full usage mode when someone's using it for work. It could work seamlessly with the
TV for purchasing digital content as well. Next: for all of the grief Palm has gotten in the press for its Folio, there's something about the general concept I like; although, instead of a "smart phone extender", I would love to have it function as a "desktop extender" (that works with your smart phone too). I'd like to invest into a nice, powerful desktop for doing real work on that can also function as a media server, but I'd also like a portable component, something very portable and affordable (like an Asus Eee) that automagically syncs with my desktop (even a MacBook is too large, heavy and expensive). The iPhone will certainly suit some people for this, but others (like me) would like the bigger screen/keyboard/more storage, something to replace their day planner. This device should also be a great e-book reader.
IMO this would smooth out the product line and crystallize the purpose of each device, because right now there are some awkward holes. The average consumer house could have:
- One main Mac tower for heavy work, and storing media
- TVs or TVMinis for Tvs in the home
- MacTablets for everybody for their portable digital content - schoolwork, ebooks, videos (via HW decoding, probably), photos, presentations, email, web surfing, IM, etc.
- iPods/iPhones as appropriate - but get rid of the video/photo iPod functionality, it's not as good of a fit as the MacTablet idea.
- iMacs for situations where people need a number of work machines, but the Mac Tower could still serve as the backup/main digital repository.
Tv, a MacTablet, and an TvMini for my and my wife's parents for Christmas.
I have often wished Apple would let me build my own.