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Practical Mac / Glenn Fleishman
Can't wait for a new iMac? eMac is available, affordable

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A new iMac is out of the cards for students who can't wait until September: Apple Computer made the rare announcement a few days ago that its next-generation all-in-one personal desktop computer wasn't ready and the supplies of its current system were waning. (Some stores may still have iMacs in stock, but Apple's online store has stopped taking orders.)

It's a remarkable announcement on Apple's part, and might affect your plans if you need a new computer for a student. We West Coasters generally have a later college start date, some as late as October, and Apple has said it plans to have the new machines available in September.

Apple carried out its second unheard-of announcement Wednesday, confirming widespread speculation that the next iMac model would use a G5 processor. I don't expect Apple to release photos of what will certainly be a redesigned computer. But after the last two weeks, anything's possible.

If you're looking for a desktop machine for a student or a recent graduate, the eMac lacks the sleekness of an iMac but makes up for it with a great price and included options.

The two standard models cost $799 and $999 with the more expensive model sporting the CD/DVD-reading-and-writing SuperDrive and an 80-gigabyte hard drive. The $799 unit includes a Combo Drive (reads DVDs, reads and writes CDs) and a 40 GB drive.

Otherwise, the two units are identical: 1.25 gigahertz (GHz) G4 processors, 256 megabytes of included RAM, and wireless AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth available as options for $79 and $50, respectively. Students heading to college will want an AirPort Extreme Card to access the increasingly available campus wireless networks in their dorm.

The eMac also includes a modem, Ethernet, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, audio in and out, and a video output port for mirroring to another monitor or displaying via S-Video to a television. Apple bundles the usual software, including Quicken, AppleWorks and iLife (see www.apple.com/emac/software.html).

The eMac's flat cathode-ray tube monitor has a 16-inch viewable area as opposed to the unavailable iMac's 15-, 17- and 20-inch actual viewing area LCD displays. A CRT consumes more power, is heavier, and is less sharp than an LCD, but the eMac's display is perfectly fine and flicker-free at its best settings.

The eMac monitor seems even better when you notice that a comparable iMac — if it were still available — cost $500 more. The LCD screen and industrial design are the primary differences.
 
The eMac's easier and safer portability might be a plus, too. It can pack up without the special support needed for the iMac's arm. And students and educators can pay less than the retail price if purchased through the online Apple Store's education section — click Education at store.apple.com in the upper left corner under More Stores — or by presenting appropriate credentials at a retail Apple Store. Call to find out what paperwork you need to bring. The two eMac models are just $749 and $899 at educational pricing. Schools pay even less for certain models.

Does your son or daughter deserve a Power Mac G5 when entering or returning to school? As a graphic-design major in college, I would argue yes ... for certain pre-professional majors.

The Power Mac G5 is an astoundingly powerful computer that won't have its complete potential unleashed until Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) ships in the first half of 2005. But many graphics programs can already take advantage of its extra juice.

The price tag might give you sticker shock. The cheapest Power Mac G5 is $1,999 ($1,799 for educational purchases), and it requires an external display. Apple's 17-inch LCD display costs $699 ($599 for education). Add in some necessary RAM from a third party and sales tax, and you're starting well over $2,000 before software.

Still, I would have killed in college for something with more power than my grandparent-financed Macintosh Plus (with a generous 1 MB of RAM that I installed myself), even though I managed to use PageMaker 1.0 and QuarkXPress 1.0 on it. Of course, that machine cost $1,200; adjusted for inflation, the Power Mac G5's entry-level model costs roughly the same.

Current students may be rendering three-dimensional prototypes, designing skyscrapers, producing 480-page books — and playing highly realistic games. They may need (they certainly want) the power.

A Power Mac G5 could be considered a four-year investment, too. Power Mac G3s from four years ago are still viable machines today, even if they seem a little slow, and the G5 should have a longer shelf life because it's starting at a higher level.

Glenn Fleishman writes the Practical Mac column for Personal Technology and about technology in general for The Seattle Times and other publications. Send questions to gfleishman@seattletimes.com. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/columnists