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The Dell XPS One - competition for iMac ??

czachorski said:
For a computer without a built-in Mic, a USB Mic is a fairly common way of doing it. You could also claim that a USB port is not needed for a web cam, if you brought it in via firewire. That is why when I read back my reply concerning these points, I see the word "potential":



Again, why all the apparent frustration for accurate, honest discussion of these facts? These things seem pretty simple and obvious to me, and they bear pointing out in this thread.
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I completely agree with you. Everyone may have different experiences, but when I changed from PC to Mac last week - there was no need for a hell of a lot of usb cables I used to have plugged in round the back.

I used to have:

1 usb webcam
1 usb bluetooth dongle (came with logitech wireless desktop)
1 usb keyboard (because the bloody logitech thing kept not working!)
1 usb mouse (ditto)
1 monitor usb extension (for 2 usb ports on the side of the screen)

so, I have cleaned up a lot of wires round the back eliminating the stuff I don't need anymore.

3 usb ports is a bit tight I suppose, but with the 2 on the keyboard for swapping in temporary stuff - I haven't even used the spare two on the back at all yet.

YMMV
 
AlexisV said:
Because it would take sales away from the Mac Pro.
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I'll never understand that argument. Chevy still sells pickup trucks and it doesn't take away from Corvette sales - and if it did, they make profit either way. Not selling the truck to save a Corvette sale just means losing the sale completely to someone else that makes a truck.
 
saltyzoo said:
I'll never understand that argument. Chevy still sells pickup trucks and it doesn't take away from Corvette sales - and if it did, they make profit either way. Not selling the truck to save a Corvette sale just means losing the sale completely to someone else that makes a truck.
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Not really a good comparison since the market for a Corvette and the market for a truck are vastly different. No one goes to the dealership torn between the two, wishing that the truck had a few of the features that the Corvette did.

A better analogy would be (for whatever reason) Chevy decided to only put radios in the Corvette so anyone who wanted a radio had to make that jump.

It is kind of silly that for things like a decent video graphics card (in the notebook lineup) or a desktop processor you have to jump from the consumer line to the professional. There really needs to be some middle ground.
 
czachorski said:
More ports would be good. And the low profile of the 2 on the KB make them less useful. (although the 1 GB thumbdrive I got cheap on a black friday sale fits just fine). I don't see why Apple doesn't just put 6 on the back too.

Which would bring the total to a nice 8.
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I would rather have faster ports. FW400 and 800 are a plus to anyone moving big files. Having 8 USB ports when a lot of people only need about 3 or 4 is over kill, and many users will no doubt complain about paying for so many ports that they aren't using. Or Apple would have taken away FW800 or 400. I would rather see eSATA or just one more FW400 port.

pubjoe said:
I completely agree with you. Everyone may have different experiences, but when I changed from PC to Mac last week - there was no need for a hell of a lot of usb cables I used to have plugged in round the back.

I used to have:

1 usb webcam
1 usb bluetooth dongle (came with logitech wireless desktop)
1 usb keyboard (because the bloody logitech thing kept not working!)
1 usb mouse (ditto)
1 monitor usb extension (for 2 usb ports on the side of the screen)

so, I have cleaned up a lot of wires round the back eliminating the stuff I don't need anymore.

3 usb ports is a bit tight I suppose, but with the 2 on the keyboard for swapping in temporary stuff - I haven't even used the spare two on the back at all yet.

YMMV
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Amazing. Simply amazing. This may be the real reason Apple only put three on the computer and two spares on the keyboard.
 
DeaconGraves said:
Not really a good comparison since the market for a Corvette and the market for a truck are vastly different. No one goes to the dealership torn between the two, wishing that the truck had a few of the features that the Corvette did.

A better analogy would be (for whatever reason) Chevy decided to only put radios in the Corvette so anyone who wanted a radio had to make that jump.

It is kind of silly that for things like a decent video graphics card (in the notebook lineup) or a desktop processor you have to jump from the consumer line to the professional. There really needs to be some middle ground.
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Now that there is no more Camaro, I'll bet there are some rednecks that are torn between a pickup and a Corvette. ;) "Nobody" really goes to Apple torn between an iMac and a Mac Pro either.
 
Cloudane said:
Ah the old classic Blind Fanboyism. "They give you 'x'! You should be thankful! If you don't like it, 'xyz'!"

Every PC I've seen for the past 3 or so years has had at least 4, most of them 6, plus Firewire.

I mean it's not like there's any lack of room on the back of the iMac, and it wouldn't ruin the aesthetic... which makes me wonder why they went for 3!
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Well although Apple was one of the first to use USB ports on the iMac overtime USB became more of the PC standard. I can't give you a full answer as to why Apple chooses only 3 ports but in a way it's common sense, there are other ports on the iMac which I prefer to use. Firewire is a much better premium for use on DV cams and faster transfers for external hard drives and USB just doesn't cut it all the time.

BTW, PC's do not actually have "Firewire", for the Windows world it's iEEE1394 and it's NOT powered.
Apple invented Firewire and it IS powered which is why the Mac OS is the only platform legally allowed to call it Firewire because of it's powered bus.
 
One other thing which I can't see from the Dell site is the port placement. By having all the ports on the back of the iMac, it is inconvenient to reach around and plug in temporary stuff like thumb drives, headphones and media card readers. It would have been nice to have the headphone jack and at least one extra USB on the side. Anyone know how the Dell does in this regard?
 
flopticalcube said:
One other thing which I can't see from the Dell site is the port placement. By having all the ports on the back of the iMac, it is inconvenient to reach around and plug in temporary stuff like thumb drives, headphones and media card readers. It would have been nice to have the headphone jack and at least one extra USB on the side. Anyone know how the Dell does in this regard?
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Are you serious? You really couldn't tell this from looking at the content on Dell's page for this computer? Go back and look again.
 
I think it looks OK. Nothing to really complain about anyway. But for the money the specs really stink to high heaven.
 
flopticalcube said:
I didn't see the expansion button at the top. :eek:

Its a much better layout than the iMac. 2XUSB, media slots, FW and headphone on the side.

+1 for the Dell in this regard then.
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Great job, Dell, looks great, until you actually plug some stuff into it, and then you have ugly connectors coming out the side of the machine.

Duh, iMac connectors are on the back....
 
gkarris said:
Great job, Dell, looks great, until you actually plug some stuff into it, and then you have ugly connectors coming out the side of the machine.

Duh, iMac connectors are on the back....
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Great job, Apple, looks great, until you actually plug some stuff into it, and then you have to reach around and fumble at the back to connect anything...and you still have ugly cables coming out.
 
When it comes to non-permanent semi-peripheral-port placement, I'll be the first to say I'm not sure there's anything like a 100% solution.

Personally, I'd just as soon the ports were front-exposed as located anywhere else, even though I know this goes against Apple's general design ethic. Oh well, for something like this there really is no happy medium. And when I refer to front-exposed ports, I'd limit it to the following ones:
  • 1/8" stereo headphone jack (perhaps 2, but only if really necessary)
  • 2 USB ports, stacked with at least 1/4" clearance between them
  • 1 mini FW400 port
  • 1 FW800 port
And if this sounds to you like what many DIY PC cases have (at least in terms of what's there, not necessarily in terms of placement) then you'd be right. Because, frankly, there definitely are some things that DIY companies actually do right.

Of course, I'd also be first-in-line to applaud Apple should they one day decide to add a multi-standard media card reader to their computers; especially in this day and age, it's a "basic" feature which is long overdue.
 
TVs, receivers and DVD recorders have either front or side mounted ports for temporary peripherals. Computers should too. I am agnostic on the media reader and TV tuner as long as I have plenty of easily accessible USB ports into which I can plug my own.
 
flopticalcube said:
Great job, Apple, looks great, until you actually plug some stuff into it, and then you have to reach around and fumble at the back to connect anything...and you still have ugly cables coming out.
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...coming out the back where you can't see them.

Remember, with Apple, it's all about image and aesthetics. If you want easily accessible ports, go ahead with the dHell...
 
gkarris said:
...coming out the back where you can't see them.

Remember, with Apple, it's all about image and aesthetics. If you want easily accessible ports, go ahead with the dHell...
Click to expand...

That is just a typical fanboy response. Instead of encouraging Apple to make a more functional product, tell the customer to live with it or chose another brand. I have 2 Alu iMacs and its a pain to plug in temporary peripherals into the back. Its a design mistake any way you cut it. We are not talking about plugging in harddrives or printers or other permanent equipment. this is stuff that sits plugged in only for a few minutes. If you plug a set of headphones in the back, you still get the cable coming around to the front, I don't see a big aesthetic issue here.
 
flopticalcube said:
That is just a typical fanboy response. Instead of encouraging Apple to make a more functional product, tell the customer to live with it or chose another brand. I have 2 Alu iMacs and its a pain to plug in temporary peripherals into the back. Its a design mistake any way you cut it. We are not talking about plugging in harddrives or printers or other permanent equipment. this is stuff that sits plugged in only for a few minutes. If you plug a set of headphones in the back, you still get the cable coming around to the front, I don't see a big aesthetic issue here.
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Do what I did:

Hub.jpg
 
I almost prefer GoodWatch's idea because at least it means I wouldn't have to fumble around the back, having the feeling I'm going to knock it off of my desk!
+1 GoodWatch
 
flopticalcube said:
That's a very nice workaround and I might install a pair of USB hubs like you did but its yet another case of the customer addressing an issue Apple should have in the first place.
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Nothing is ever perfect. It took 10 bucks, some double adhesive tape and a self adhesive cable duct. It is very, very useful. I plug in thumb drives, a card reader, my camera and even an external HDD. :D
 
flopticalcube said:
That is just a typical fanboy response. Instead of encouraging Apple to make a more functional product, tell the customer to live with it or chose another brand. I have 2 Alu iMacs and its a pain to plug in temporary peripherals into the back. Its a design mistake any way you cut it. We are not talking about plugging in harddrives or printers or other permanent equipment. this is stuff that sits plugged in only for a few minutes. If you plug a set of headphones in the back, you still get the cable coming around to the front, I don't see a big aesthetic issue here.
Click to expand...

Dell awaits you...
 
flopticalcube said:
That's a very nice workaround and I might install a pair of USB hubs like you did but its yet another case of the customer addressing an issue Apple should have in the first place.
Click to expand...

Well, there ARE the two USB ports on the iMac's aluminum wired keyboard. I thought they were totally useless since I couldn't use them with any device requiring any power like my iPod until I realized I had the keyboard plugged into a USB hub. As per Apple's website, which I was unaware of, plugging the keyboard directly into a USB port on the back of the iMac itself allows you to use the to keyboard ports for any USB device.
 
HLdan said:
BTW, PC's do not actually have "Firewire", for the Windows world it's iEEE1394 and it's NOT powered.
Apple invented FireWire and it IS powered which is why the Mac OS is the only platform legally allowed to call it FireWire because of it's powered bus.
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Wrong. Did you even look at the pictures of the Dell that this thread refers to? It clearly has a 6 pin FireWire port. It is clearly powered.

Or what about cards like this that you can buy everywhere?

And about the name...FireWire is nothing more than Apple's brand name, which Apple has trademarked. That is why PC manufacturers refer to it as IEEE1394. However, anyone can use the term if they pass a compliance test and they sign a trademark agreement.

Read the article I linked above by the man who lead the FireWire development team.

As far as the Dell goes. I think it looks pretty good, and if I were to consider a PC, I may go with this one.
 
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