barongreenback
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- Mar 30, 2005
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Well, after seeing my new toy travel half way around the world it finally arrived on Thursday - a 24" 2.8GHz iMac with 2Gb of RAM and a 500 Gb HD. As the 2.8GHz model is classed as a custom order it took about 2 weeks from order to final delivery.
First thing you notice is the size - the 24" is a hefty bit of kit but you get used to the size very quickly. Just two days in and I'm wondering how I survived with a 19" monitor all these years. I have to admit, the glossy screen will be an issue for some. The screen is extremely bright and the colours do 'pop', especially with the black surround but it does require careful placement. If you work with your back to a window or in a room with lots of light, then you may find living with the glossy screen intolerable. Fortunately I don't so as far as I'm concerned, the screen is absolutely gorgeous. Apple Quicktime trailers in 1080p have a real wow factor and I'm finding it easier than ever to edit my photos.
The new keyboard will feel comfortable to those of you with a Macbook already. It's a little different at first and perhaps it could be a little more raised but again it's just a matter of getting used to it. It's a great match for the iMac; black keys would be too intrusive for my tastes.
I've not really had the chance to push the machine much yet but so far I've found it to be whisper quiet. The fan noise is barely a murmur in normal usage and the HD is also very quiet.
The biggest surprise to me has been the quality of the built in speakers. I was considering getting some Harmon Kardon sound sticks but for small speakers the clarity and depth of bass was starting. Unless you're listening to music pretty seriously on your iMac I'd stick to the internal speakers and thus retain the minimalist look.
The new iLife suite looks great and the events organiser in iPhoto is a handy way of organising large batches of photos.
So all in all I'm very happy with my purchase. This is my final switch to Macs after getting a macbook last year. Transferring my iTunes and photos has been relatively painless and barring a couple of things I may need parallels for, I don't think I'll be looking at a PC again for some time to come. Roll on Leopard!
First thing you notice is the size - the 24" is a hefty bit of kit but you get used to the size very quickly. Just two days in and I'm wondering how I survived with a 19" monitor all these years. I have to admit, the glossy screen will be an issue for some. The screen is extremely bright and the colours do 'pop', especially with the black surround but it does require careful placement. If you work with your back to a window or in a room with lots of light, then you may find living with the glossy screen intolerable. Fortunately I don't so as far as I'm concerned, the screen is absolutely gorgeous. Apple Quicktime trailers in 1080p have a real wow factor and I'm finding it easier than ever to edit my photos.
The new keyboard will feel comfortable to those of you with a Macbook already. It's a little different at first and perhaps it could be a little more raised but again it's just a matter of getting used to it. It's a great match for the iMac; black keys would be too intrusive for my tastes.
I've not really had the chance to push the machine much yet but so far I've found it to be whisper quiet. The fan noise is barely a murmur in normal usage and the HD is also very quiet.
The biggest surprise to me has been the quality of the built in speakers. I was considering getting some Harmon Kardon sound sticks but for small speakers the clarity and depth of bass was starting. Unless you're listening to music pretty seriously on your iMac I'd stick to the internal speakers and thus retain the minimalist look.
The new iLife suite looks great and the events organiser in iPhoto is a handy way of organising large batches of photos.
So all in all I'm very happy with my purchase. This is my final switch to Macs after getting a macbook last year. Transferring my iTunes and photos has been relatively painless and barring a couple of things I may need parallels for, I don't think I'll be looking at a PC again for some time to come. Roll on Leopard!