Apple’s Faster, Cheaper eMacs

Apple has revised its eMac computer line with two new models. At US$799 and US$999 the two additions are faster, a bit cheaper and have a lot more features than previous versions.

Both of the new models have 1.25GHz G4 processors and 128mb of memory, and incorporate beautiful 17” displays. The more expensive of the two models has an 80gb hard drive (the cheaper only has 40gb) and has Apple’s SuperDrive built in. Both computers have Radeon 9200 graphics with 32mb of its own video memory. It might be because I’m sitting here with a 256mb 9800 that 32mb seems a bit mean, graphics memory wise. But then, I’m sure my card doesn’t even need to wake up to render my typing in OpenOffice.

The new Macs come with iLife ’04, Apple’s digital lifestyle application – see our previous write up on features like GarageBand.

Apple is heavily promoting their AirPort extreme technology for wireless networking with the new eMacs, though it is not included as standard.

Apple Store on the new eMacs

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Fraser Lovatt

Fraser Lovatt has spent the last fifteen years working in publishing, TV and the Internet in various capacities, and believes that they will be seperate platforms for at least a while yet. His main interests at the moment are exploring where Linux is taking home entertainment and how technology is conferring technical skills on more and more people. Fraser Lovatt was born in the same year that 2001: A Space Odyssey was delighting and confusing people in the cinemas, and developed a lifelong love of technology as soon as he realised that things could be taken apart, sometimes put back together again, but mostly left in bits or made into something the original designer hadn't quite planned upon. At school he was definitely in the ZX Spectrum/Magpie/BMX camp, rather than the BBC Micro/Blue Peter/well-behaved group. This is all deeply ironic as he later went on to spend nine years working at the BBC. After a few years of working as a bookseller in Scotland, ("Back when it was actually a skilled profession" he'll tell anyone still listening), he moved to England for reasons he can't quite explain adequately to himself. After a couple of publishing jobs punctuated by sporadic bursts of travelling and photography came the aforementioned nine years at the BBC where he specialised in internet technologies and video. These days his primary interests are Java, Linux, videogames and pies - and if they're not candidates for convergence, then what is?