Yes, network computer. This machine goes out of its way not to be a standalone machine- It has built in 10/100BT ethernet, a 56K modem, infrared serial, and USB. What it doesn't have is any removeable media- Overkill on connectivity, but nill portability. From my perspective, this is a rather odd combination to aim at the consumer market, who normally have little need for connectivity beyond email but can use all the portable storage they can get- just look at the success of the Zip drive in the consumer sector! What it appears to be for me is some twisted, elitist vision that is virtually dictated from Steve Jobs and Larry Ellison- Who have about as much in common with Joe Consumer as President Clinton has with Mother Theresa.

And herein lies the paradox. As a Network Computer, it misses the price mark by a long shot- A Network computer needs only be able to connect and run apps from a server- It needs to be cheap and unobtrusive. The iMac, by contrast, is designed to demand attention, and is priced to cover the expensive industrial design that is its casing. As a consumer product, its a silly gamble- Why only include a single means of connecting peripherals that is completely new and untested (USB)? would it really cost more money to include a SCSI port? or an external VGA port (Which, incidentally, I read is actually on the motherboard and accesible if you remove the case!!)

I am not at all opposed to a MacOs based network computer. Put them in a 6100 style pizza box with a small hard drive, price em at $699 without monitor, and you can sell a buttload of them if properly positioned within large enterprises, and I'm 100% convinced that even at that price-point they would be profitable. As for an all-in-one consumer product, MacUniverse in Los Angeles is selling the G3-233 All in one which has 3 PCI slots, 3 SDRAM Slots, built in IDE and SCSI with the same 15" monitor for $1499. Its an attractive, functional, expandable unit that I would have a MUCH easier time justifying purchase of than an iMac. If it was priced at $999, it would completely turn the whole PC price/performance ratio on its head- and create a new breed of Prosumer Apple other manufacturers can only dream about.

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