iMac G5
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 The original iMac G5. |
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| Developer | Apple Inc. |
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| Type | Desktop |
| Release date | August 31, 2004 (original models), May 3, 2005 (Ambient Light Sensor model), and October 12, 2005 (iSight model) |
| Discontinued | January 10, 2006 (17"), and March 20, 2006 (20") |
| CPU | PowerPC G5, 1.6–2.1 GHz |
The iMac G5 was a series of desktop Macintosh computers designed and built by Apple Inc. using the PowerPC chip architecture. It was the last line of iMac computers that used a PowerPC chip, making it the last of the iMacs that could run Mac OS 9 (Classic) applications. In August 2004, the iMac design was overhauled. By this time, the PowerPC 970 chip had been released and was being used in the Power Macintosh G5 line. Famously, the Power Macintosh G5 needed multiple fans in a large casing because of the larger heat output from the PowerPC 970. Apple's new iMac design managed to incorporate the PowerPC 970 into an all-in-one design with a distinctive form factor. The new design of the iMac used the same 17 and 20-inch widescreen LCDs, with all of the main logic board and optical drive mounted directly behind the LCD panel; this gave the appearance of a thickened desktop LCD monitor.
The iMac G5 was updated in October 2005 with a thinner design, an iSight webcam mounted above the LCD, and Apple's Front Row media interface. This version had a slightly bowed back and lacked the VESA Flat Display Mounting Interface of the earlier iMac G5s.
There are many consumer posted reports on the Internet[1] linking the iMac G5 with overheating issues most typically related to the bad capacitor plague affecting both the first and second generation iMac G5 motherboards, and power supply units. Also, some owners reported a "vacuum cleaner mode", where the iMac G5 beeps three times and starts its processor fan at full speed, also due to hardware problems[citation needed]. There was also a problem in the internal SuperDrive, which could throw discs instead of ejecting them, due to problems in the drive bezel[citation needed]. The possible defect renders the machine useless with respect to damages like a burnt out logic board, a smoked power supply, and other internal component failures. Apple has extended warranties on specific serial-numbered iMac G5 models, but has not issued a recall.
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[edit] Technical specifications
[edit] iMac G5
- August 31, 2004 — Apple releases an all-new iMac line,[2] with both the LCD screen (17 or 20-inch widescreen) and computer (including power supply) contained in a 2-inch thick flat-panel housing. Its specifications include:
- A PowerPC G5 processor at 1.6 or 1.8GHz
- Serial ATA hard drive (ATA in the Education Model)
- An nVidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra GPU
- USB 2.0 and FireWire 400
- 10/100BASE-T Ethernet port
- A V.92 modem
- A video-out port, an analogue audio-in jack, and a combination analogue/mini-TOSLINK audio-out jack (like the one in the AirPort Express units)
The enclosure is suspended above the desk by an aluminum arm that can be replaced by a VESA mounting plate, allowing the unit to be mounted using any VESA-standard mount. Apple boasted that it was the slimmest desktop computer on the market. The iMac G5 was available in three retail models (17-inch, 1.6GHz is M9363LL/A; 17-inch, 1.8GHz is M9249LL/A; 20-inch, 1.8GHz is M9250LL/A) plus one education-only model that had no optical drive, no modem, and a more modest GeForce MX4000 graphics system.
Here was the ad campaign.
[edit] iMac G5 (Ambient Light Sensor)
- May 3, 2005 — Apple releases "Rev. B", or the "Ambient Light Sensor" line (the name refers to a new light sensor on the bottom of the iMac that adjusts the glow intensity of the white pulsating sleep indicator light according to the ambient light).
- The entry model is now 17-inch, 1.8GHz (M9843LL/A).
- The mid-model is 17-inch, 2.0GHz (M9844LL/A).
- The top model is 20-inch, 2.0GHz (M9845LL/A). All models utilized the PowerPC 970FX, re-fabricated at 90 nm.
- All models now feature 512MB of DDR-400 RAM standard;
- The hard drive capacity is increased to 250GB on the top model, with an option of 400GB.
- Optional upgrades now include a double-layered 8× SuperDrive. All models now feature AirPort Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and an ATI Radeon 9600 graphics chip with 128MB of VRAM as standard. Also the 10/100 Ethernet network interface has been upgraded to Gigabit Ethernet. All models shipped with iLife '05 and Apple's then-new Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger.
[edit] iMac G5 (iSight)
- October 12, 2005 — At the "One More Thing" event, Apple released new iMac G5s (the "Rev. C", or the "iSight" line); a 17-inch display running at 1.9GHz (MA063L/A) and 20-inch display model running at 2.1 GHz (MA064L/A) with:
- A built-in USB 2.0 iSight camera
- A remote control called Apple Remote
- Horizontal input ports rather than vertical configuration.
- Thinner 1.5-inch (3.8-cm) flat panel housing with a curved rear housing
- 512 MB PC2-4200 (533MHz) DDR2; expandable to 2.5GB total memory
- Slot-loading 8x; double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
- Mighty Mouse
- A PCI-Express ATI Radeon X600 (Pro for the 17-inch model and XT for the 20-inch model) graphics chip with 128MB DDR VRAM
- Built-in media center software called Front Row
- Note: the built-in V.92 modem was removed and is now offered as the optional Apple USB Modem. The USB modem is available on the Apple Store website and also in Apple retail stores.
The iMac G5 (iSight) also used a slightly slimmer case that would be used until August 7, 2007 when Apple used the same shape but used an aluminum and glass aesthetic. A downside of this case compared to its predecessor is that the stand can no longer be replaced with a VESA mount.
November 30, 2005: The iMac G5 was declared "The Gold Standard of desktop PCs" by Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal.[3]
[edit] On-screen appearances
- In the third season of iCarly, the iMac G4 in their kitchen has been replaced with an iMac G5 with a different monitor. Also, an iMac G5 is shown in an episode of the first season of iCarly, iSpy a Mean Teacher.
Timeline of iMac models
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: IMac G5 |
- ^ "iMac G5 Talk DIY PSU and MOB Repairs". November 11, 2008. http://www.jimwarholic.com/labels/iMac_G5.php. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
- ^ "Apple Unveils the New iMac G5". August 31, 2004. http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/aug/31imac.html. Retrieved February 26, 2007.
- ^ [1], The Mossberg Solution, November 30, 2005.
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