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From...
Apple lovers, unite: The Mac is back
September 15, 1998
Web posted at: 7:46 PM PT
by Susan Silvius
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| The iMac has put Apple back in the spotlight | |
(IDG) -- Apple isn't out of the woods yet, but it is seeing a lot more daylight. That's good news for loyal Macintosh users. So, if you're considering buying a Mac--but you don't want to own a dinosaur -- you'll be glad to know that sales of the G3 Power Mac have helped put Apple back in the black. Also bolstering the bottom line are recent innovations like the iMac, a Web-ready machine for the budget consumer.
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You aren't the only one who likes Apple. Support for the rejuvenated Mac line remains strong in significant quarters. Microsoft shipped the Office 98 Macintosh edition in April -- before its Windows version -- as a sign of the company's ongoing support of Apple. Hewlett-Packard announced its intention to make its popular inkjet printers Mac-compatible again after a long hiatus. Desktop-publishing and photo-editing software continue to be Mac strongholds. And you can still find some education and game titles for all age groups at the software store.
Macs have long been known for their ease of use and elegant simplicity. The current operating system, Mac OS8.1, is generally considered more user-friendly than Windows. Even a first-time computer user can be up and running (and comfortable) in less than an hour. Adding a peripheral like a printer or modem is often as easy as plugging it in, turning it on, popping in the disk and hitting Install.
So if you remain an Apple fan, you've got some great options. Here are two picks geared for families who want speed and Internet access. For those who want the performance of a G3 but have already invested in an older Power Mac, see the "New Life for Old Macs" section in this article.
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Speed thrills: Power Macintosh G3
The hot-selling G3 Power Macintosh series is now available in processor speeds ranging from 233MHz to 300MHz. Faster than a speeding Pentium, the G3 can be custom-built to your specifications by Apple's own Internet store. Prices start at $1,699 for a desktop unit with a 233MHz G3 processor, 32MB of memory, a 4GB hard drive and 24X CD-ROM drive. At the money-is-no-object end of the spectrum, a 300MHz G3 tower with 128MB of memory, 8GB of hard disk storage, fast 3D graphics with 6MB of high-speed video memory, Ethernet connectivity and a 20-inch monitor can set you back as much as $6,198. Keep in mind that unless you already have a monitor, you'll need to add at least $250 for a decent 15-inch display or $400-plus for the 17-inch variety.
All G3 Power Macs have easy-open cases and are constructed to make internal upgrades of processors, memory and hard drives painless even for the inexperienced user. Opt for the tower case if you think you might want to add more than one drive (say, a hard drive plus a Zip drive) in the future.
Apple does Internet: iMac
In an age when computers come in two styles, boxy and boxier, it's refreshing to see this futuristic Internet machine housed in 50s-style plastics. The iMac looks like a cross between a shuttle astronaut's headgear and a retro TV rendered in ultramarine and translucent plastic. Starting at $1,299, the iMac comes standard with a 233MHz G3 processor, 32MB of memory (expandable to 128MB), a 4GB hard drive and a 33.6kbps modem.
The unit also has an Ethernet network connector and a 15-inch monitor, both built-in. The new system offers an infrared port and two universal serial bus (USB) connectors; both kinds of hookups represent emerging technologies that may prove useful in the long haul. Curiously, the iMac does not come with a floppy drive (though you can buy an external one with a USB connector), so you can install software only from a CD-ROM, a network or the Internet. And forget transferring that spreadsheet or letter from the office to your home machine unless you plan to do it across a network or by modem. The iMac will ship with the office suite formerly known as ClarisWorks (now AppleWorks), Microsoft Internet Explorer, FileMaker Pro and Quicken 98.
New life for old Macs
If you've already got a Mac but you're hankering for the speed of the latest systems, Newer Tech produces MAXpowr G3 processor upgrade cards for all shapes and sizes of Power Macs. As with most Macintosh upgrades, installation is usually neither difficult nor intimidating. Pop the top, replace one processor card with another, close it up, and you're ready to go -- at double the speed.